


Sing me to Sleep

by KeanBlade



Series: Songs in the Wind [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Genderfluid Character, Good Orochimaru (Naruto), Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Orochimaru is Kakashi's Mama, Uke Orochimaru (Naruto), no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-07-23 10:36:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20006932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeanBlade/pseuds/KeanBlade
Summary: Danzo over reached himself when he thought that he could get control of the Hatake bloodline though Orochimaru. And Sakumo will stop at nothing to get his pack.





	1. Iris

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I write fast and don't edit much- this is a place for me to not have to worry too much about perfection and just enjoy it- so things can be mangled at times. (I've got a wonky brain that can't see symbols as well, so I frequently can't even see mistakes) That's not something that's likely to change any time soon, so if imperfect writing puts you off this probably isn't for you

Orochimaru flinched back from the archway to the Nara clan compound, he hadn’t thought that Sakumo would get back from his mission so soon- he had hoped to have a little more time. But truthfully he was lucky to have as much time as he did, it was only that kindness and perceptiveness of the Nara matriarch that allowed him to have what he did and should anyone begin to think he spent any time with Kakashi he was well aware that the consequences would be _severe_. At best he would be sent on even more missions when Danzo wasn’t requesting his presence in the labs, at worst they would tell Sakumo that he was a threat to Kakashi and he would be forbidden to see his child at all. Orochimaru didn’t think he could bear that; he had only been permitted to take care of his son for four months after his birth before Danzo took Kakashi from him and gave him to his father, a father that didn’t even know who the other parent was (Orochimaru knew that Sakumo had been told the “his mother was a whore” and he knew that most people in the know- no matter how few- probably believed that after a fashion).

Orochimaru had many regrets from his one night with Sakumo, mostly that he had been such a fool as to believe that the Hatake would sleep with him if he was in his right mind, but Kakashi would never be one of them (nor, in the guilty corners of his mind, was the chance to know what it felt to have Sakumo’s hands on him and know for a while what it felt like to have that fierce devotion focused on him).

Kakashi turned two today and Orochimaru had thought that he might be able to spend his birthday with his child this year (last year he had delayed leaving on the mission he had been assigned in order to leave his gift for his son at the door of the Hatake home on the right day, the mad dash to make up for lost time had nearly gotten him killed when he arrived exhausted), but it appeared it was not to be. He should have known that Sakumo would never willingly miss his child’s birthday, _stupid_. He took a deep breath and flared his chakra carefully to get Shikara’s attention, the Nara clan matriarch was the one who had put together the scant evidence and made it clear to him that a blind eye would be turned if he dropped by the compound while they watched Kakashi. It took a moment before the tall dark eyed woman slipped around the archway and raised an eyebrow at him, he gave her a tight approximation of his normal slight smile and held out the neatly wrapped package. She looked at it with lips pressed tightly together but took it anyway; she hesitated a moment, looking like she wanted to do something but gave up and settled for nodding at him before she turned to walk back into the compound.

Orochimaru waited for as long as he thought he could get away with, listening to the voices of the only two people he still cared about (the only two that remained) and doing his best to pretend that the pressure behind his eyes wasn’t something like tears. He might as well get back to the labs, if he didn’t make sufficient progress to convince Danzo that they weren’t ready for live subjects Danzo might decide to move on, and Orochimaru couldn’t bring himself to see children put in that situation - not when as it stood it would be a death sentence. Maybe it would be different if he hadn’t had a child of his own, if he hadn’t it might be easier to detach himself from the work and do as was asked of him. But now, now it seemed more important to keep what children he could safe than to make his sensei proud of him (to maybe get him to _look_ at Orochimaru again). There was only so much he could do before he would be sent out again and fighting Danzo on this had to be done carefully so as not to bring his attention to Orochimaru’s quiet resistance. (It was one thing to make progress with criminals and prisoners of war- he cared little for those that would hurt Konoha- and he had made strides that had saved his fellow shinobi many times- Tsunade had understood that even if she disliked it- but children…. Well, sensei wasn’t his top priority anymore.)

The walk back to the labs was quiet as always; probably most would prefer if he took the backways when moving around the village, but he _refused_ to be pushed into invisibility. The fact that it was an open secret that he wasn’t to be allowed near Kakashi (couched as a rumor and carefully spread to be impossible to trace to the source- Danzo he knew- and kept from Sakumo only though meticulous work, on both Danzo and his part; he couldn’t bear it if Sakumo thought that he was as vile as the rumors portrayed him) had deteriorated his reputation even farther. Now all children were kept way from him and tucked out of sight when he walked by. It was a clever move on Danzo’s part, if Orochimaru had loved Kakashi even a jot less the fact that he was so isolated from children would have made it much easier to not find anything wrong with their presence in the labs (to not see them a people). But Danzo had underestimated Orochimaru's bloodline; the Yamata no Orochi were all but gone now but time was when their obsessive loyalty and love for those closest to them was a well know thing, time was when any shinobi knew that at Yamata no Orochi alone was only a few steps from a madman (and Orochimaru was alone now. After his parents died there had at least been his team and they had accepted him after a fashion; they had helped him understand the world and buffered him from the people he had so much difficulty understanding. But now….. Jiraiya had abandoned them when they need him, Tsunade had left swamped in grief and unable to really forgive him for not saving her brother, and sensei…. Well. Sensei had made his increasing distrust in Orochimaru clear.)

He grimaced at the scent of the labs, he had never minded it before but after being all but confined to them for almost five months he could hardly bear it (five months of pain and joy and heartbreak). His pregnancy itself hadn’t been too hard at first, it was part of his blood line to have shifting gender and sex (he had long since fallen into male as his primary gender, it was what he was known as and he didn’t mind) so pregnancy was entirely possible with a little chakra to help, but birth itself was difficult. Fluid sex or not his base sex was male and his hips could not fully reform to accommodate birth (and the lack of Sakumo and his chakra to balance out Orochimaru’s own chakra had made it that much harder, Kakashi had been born early was a little frail for it); giving birth to Kakashi had almost killed him but when he awoke to see his son (so very small, it was to be expected given the circumstances and for the best given Orochimaru’s body, but it still frightened him a little) it had unequivocally been worth it.

The only reason he had had so much time with Kakashi in those few months he had had him, Kakashi had almost never left his arms then, was because the Yamanaka who had overseen the birth had taken pity on him and run interference. Now he went home to his empty house with its sprawling gardens of poisonous flowers (the secrets of which his mother had taught him, and that he was passing to the Yamanaka- it wasn’t like there would be Yamata no Orochi to pass them on to, even if he was given leave to see Kakashi there was no doubt that he was a Hatake through and though) and cold rooms and slept curled around the hurt in his heart trying to pretend that he didn’t feel what was left of his mind falling to pieces (in another world maybe he would have gone mad for immortality to get back the past he craved, here though, here he grew ever more reckless on missions to get away from the future he would never have.).

* * *

Sakumo was doing his very best to ignore the itch between his shoulder blades. It was frustrating and was growing slowly worse; he couldn’t pinpoint when it had started but it had followed him for over two years now and he couldn't figure out what it was that caused it. He was sure that it wasn’t someone watching him, not when it had lasted this long and was utterly unceasing (it hurt now, made him restless with the sense that he was missing something vital) but he couldn’t figure out what would cause it and over two years it hadn’t become any clearer. “Sakumo” he started looking up at Shikara who was holding out a lovely wrapped gift; it was wrapped in a beautiful swath of fabric with a design of wolves and foxglove, it reminded him of the first gift Kakashi had ever been given (he hadn’t known his son's birthday before he had found the gift on the porch and taken Kakashi to the hospital to see it his age matched up. It had and Sakumo didn’t know who had left it for his child except that they must have known his mother and they smelled faintly of foxglove and larkspur) that one had been wrapped in similar fabric- startlingly tough and thick with scent- though the design on that one had been lightning and iris. Sakumo carefully unwrapped it and called Kakashi over (the boy was far smarter and more advanced than Sakumo had expected) to give him the blanket; the little boy brightened immediately when he caught the scent and grabbed the blanket cuddling up to it with a happy whine (last years blanket had lost its scent a little while ago and the loss had broken Kakashi’s heart).

The box itself was typically unmarked and utterly clean of clues to the sender’s identity but opened easily and revealed a small kunai in a strangely iridescent metal, it was clearly an heirloom. He handed it to Kakashi gently, warning him to be careful. The signs were adding up that whoever gave Kakashi these gifts considered him part of their family. It was also driving Sakumo nuts, he wanted Kakashi to have a larger pack than just his father and if he had them somewhere he need to find them; it was so frustrating when, if Sakumo was being honest, he wouldn’t mind having a larger pack himself. He huffed a frustrated breath and turned to Shikara “I don’t suppose you will tell me who gave this to you?” He asked. She raised a startled eyebrow at him “The scent isn’t yours” he told her impatiently. She looked at him considering “I can’t. No Sakumo. Not wont, can’t.” she hesitated “But… Sakumo, they care for Kakashi and you more than you can imagine” he jerked to attention, that the gift giver cared for Kakashi was clear, but for them to care for him……and that scent made the wolf inside him sit up and take notice if he could find them-! But she refused to say any more on the subject, only telling him that it wasn’t safe for anyone involved. Sakumo bit back the growl that wanted to rumble out- he _wanted_ the person who smelled like that and she was trying to keep them from him.

But he couldn’t make any progress today, that was clear, and he didn’t want to upset Kakashi on his birthday so he let the subject go. For now. (He didn’t see the speculative look Shikara sent his back, perhaps this situation wasn’t as doomed as she thought. But maybe…. Maybe she could keep this from devolving into a tragedy if she could just figure out who was pulling the strings, and if she could do it before Orochimaru died taking unreasonable risks on a mission. Which was looking increasingly unlikely, Orochimaru looked sharper and more worn down every time she saw him and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do for him except let him spend time with Kakashi- who didn’t know him as anyone other than the man who would teach him sometimes when he stayed with the Nara- which seemed to help but not enough. It was never enough. Danmit, she didn’t want to see him dead.)


	2. Larkspur

Orochimaru had wondered how long it would take for something like this to happen. He knew eventually the tension in the village would start spilling over into missions and it was part of why he always advocated running solo missions (though that preference probably didn’t help his reputation, but he liked to think he had all but given up on worrying about that anymore). He had known that eventually he would be on a mission with a team and one of them wouldn’t have his back. Oh he didn’t think anyone would try and get him killed (yet) Konoha shinobi prided themselves on teamwork and it would take more then even his “vile and dangerous” personality to make them break that ideal; but they didn’t have to _try_ to get him killed to put him at great risk. After all this was all it took: and enemy shinobi went for the back of one of the Jounin under his command and (despite his reputation Orochimaru was loyal above all else) Orochimaru lunged between them. The enemy sword avoided by only his (unnatural) flexibility, he beheaded the man in front of him, but he was uncareful- he had assumed that because he had a Konoha shinobi at his back he was safe- and the man behind him moved leaving Orochimaru’s back open to attack (he should have been safe). All it took was one shinobi not thinking of him as a comrade and abandoning him and Orochimaru felt the cold icy slide of a sword as it slid into his side, glanced off his ribs and redirected. He stumbled, too surprised (fool, he had known this was coming) and only barely got free of the blade fast enough to take the women’s head before she could take a second shot (pathetic, he could take down whole battalions- had in the worst of the war- and one fucking woman was all it took). He was lucky, another shinobi on his unit (Hana Hyuuga, he had worked with her before. She seemed less disgusted by him than most) was at his side in order to defend him long enough to apply healing jutsu to the wound, not enough but he wouldn’t bleed out right there and his organs would wait to fail until he was home and could try to heal them better.

He had had enough, this was foolish. They didn’t need secrecy that much, he pressed bloody fingers to the tattoo of his summons seal and let his chakra reach out to the only creatures he knew would never abandon him (he would never admit that he had waited to summon them because he knew they made people uneasy). The snakes answered his call as quickly as they ever had, boiling out of his long sleeves in a rush of flashing scales and jewel tones, some of the more twitchy shinobi around him recoiled (he was impressed- pleased- to note the Hyuuga kunoichi was not one of them) from his summons as they took out most of the enemies that Orochimaru missed in the ferocious blast of wind he sent crackling through the trees. In the silence that followed his attack he looked around- every tree for almost four meters was flattened, snakes writhed at the edges and through the bodies of dead shinobi biting each to insure they didn’t get up. It was the first time in a while that he had used any of his wider attacks instead of a more precise method of taking care of his enemies, he wanted to enjoy the horror he could feel in his team (it hurt, he had done much worse in the war, but apparently that was different somehow) but all he could think of was the idea that all Kakashi would hear of him as he grew up was how bloodthirsty and _twisted_ Orochimaru was (how many times had he heard that behind closed doors?); how vile and unnatural the person he didn’t even know bore him was. Orochimaru didn’t want that to be the only legacy he left his son, unknowing or not. (And if Sakumo heard- and he would- would he look at Orochimaru with disgust? It was two years and five months too late to keep himself from caring what Sakumo thought of him- had been ever since Orochimaru had though that Sakumo _wanted_ him, ever since he thought it would be safe to _care_. Fool.)

He stood as straight as he could and turned to the Hyuuga, “Check the bodies, burn the unneeded” he told her, voice as impassive as he could make it. Orochimaru bent to thank his summons, only barely hiding the agonized breath he pulled in at the tug on his wound, thanking them and dismissing the greater number of them. The three that stayed watched him with something that was almost concern but he shook his head to keep them from saying anything, he would not let these people who would leave his back unguarded see him weak, and sent them to scout for more enemies and guard the team as they prepared to return to Konoha.

Orochimaru sent his snakes back at the gates of the village- they would have no reason to restrict his movements more- and walked though with his head held as high as he could. The trip back had hurt more than any run in recent memory (the Hyuuga had feigned a damaged ankle, it kept them from going too fast, but he had no idea how to show his appreciation) and he sent one of the other team members off to report (technically it should be him, but it wasn’t like the Hokage was going to complain about not having to see Orochimaru) and carefully limped home. (He missed the worried look in pale Hyuuga eyes as they watched him go. That wasn’t the way to hospital.)

His home was blessedly undisturbed and as soon as he came though the door he started shedding layers of cloth (what was the point of a flack vest that couldn’t stop a blade?) and pressed at the edge of the stab wound in his side; it was bad. Very bad. Had he learned his healing techniques from anyone other than Tsunade ( _Tsunade_ ) he would have already been dead probably, or at death's door anyway. He would have to be more careful if his back was to be unguarded from now on (on the other hand what was the point? Sakumo could protect Kakashi, especially if Shikara was watching for movement in the shadows, so maybe it didn’t matter if he….), no. He needed to focus if he was going to heal this enough stay alive. He needed to figure out a way to keep Danzo away from children at least before he died- maybe he could convince him they needed more formed chakra coils in order to take the DNA splicing? Something to think about- so for now he needed to fix his as best as he could. But first, a shower, he still smelled of death and muck; the scent of the lab clinging to him under that (he hadn’t been allowed to go home before he left, he always smelled like the labs now) and it made his skin itch. A shower and then healing- it could wait. The water was blessedly warm on his back even if it stung against to bloody mark; he leaned heavily on the wall for a time before pushing himself into the water to wash properly. The soaps and shampoos his mother had taught him to make so long ago still lined the shelves; foxglove and larkspur, the scent he had always loved the most (one he used on everything now, sheets, clothes, washing products, the flowers that filled the vases in the house) bringing with it comforting memories of his mother teaching him how to mix scents right along with his lessons in poison.

Perhaps it was this reminiscing that drove him when after leaving the shower he redressed and left instead of healing himself. He-. He needed to see Kakashi. Even if just from a distance he needed to see the one thing that tethered him here (and god. He wanted to see Sakumo, but he knew someone as gifted as Konoha’s White Fang would notice him so he had to be careful) then, then he could retreat and heal. It was careless, but he couldn’t force himself to stay in a house smelling of flowers and loneliness (he might be careless with the healing without a reason).

* * *

Sakumo was alerted to the change by Kakashi’s delighted bark; it was a little surprising but maybe he had managed to form his white chakra, he had been working quite diligently at it after all (his son was so uncannily smart, his mother must have been a formidable woman. Sakumo wished he knew who she was. He wasn’t prone to sleeping around but in the last days of the war he- like many- had taken comfort when offered; and if it had been a little more frequently than normally then, well, the war had been hard on many people and he had wanted human touch more than anything). It wasn’t until he heard Kakashi’s hopeful yips fade to a sad whine that he looked up from the paperwork on his desk (the Hatake might be an almost extinct clan, but as long as they weren’t he had clan head duties to uphold to the village) and frowned. Odd, but he could almost smell something, something like _blood_. He was moving before the scent registered properly and crashed though the door just in time to get a nose full of the scent; it wasn't Kakashi, it smelled like foxglove and larkspur and sweet poison. And _blood._ He staggered, caught completely off guard by the sudden rush of instinct; he _knew_ that scent (but he had never smelled it before?) and he _wanted_ it, desperately. He needed them to be ok, he needed to stop the blood, he needed to wrap them up in his own scent until his blood slowed, he wanted them beneath him and his teeth in their neck (a flash- memory?- of white, white, skin as soft as snake skin. A back bowing beneath him, as he slammed into them), and he needed-!

He stood torn momentarily between his distressed son and the already fading scent, but, whoever they were they were long gone and Kakashi was here, his gray-gold eyes welling with tears. Sakumo sent one last frustrated glance towards the wall around the compound before turning to his son who had given up and was crying while whining, staring after the fading scent. “I know cub,” murmured Sakumo, tugging Kakashi into his arms “I want them to come back too.” (and he did. So, so much more than he had expected.) After Kakashi had been soothed to sleep wrapped in the blanket from his birthday gift Sakumo paced thoughtful with his son in his arms. It was strange, it was impossible to miss the fact that the scent on the blanket was an almost perfect match to the scent he had smelled in the garden, not quite (a family difference?) but close enough it was unmistakable. Whoever it was that had sent his instincts wild (and what had that been? Anger, protectiveness, _lust-_ more than he could ever remember feeling- and a wild need to hunt whoever that was down- _why?_ ), and he could almost assume that that had been about concern that someone had gotten that close to his son except for Kakashi’s reaction whenever whoever it was left (and the burn in his gut he was ignoring). _Kakashi_ hadn’t been afraid at all (neither had Sakumo, just desperate to _find_ them) so they probably weren’t a threat. Damn. If even his nose hadn’t caught them before it was unlikely they were in the village, or at least if they were their normal smell was so covered up (either now or as they walked around, he supposed he couldn’t rule out that it had been a faked scent he caught) that it was all but gone. He hated this. (He pressed his nose to the blanket, dragging in a deep breath, but it was missing something and didn’t sooth the pain in his chest very much.)

Sakumo was in a foul mood for the rest of the week; off and on for over two years he had been plagued by dreams (white skin, hands fisted in hair like raw silk- heavy and rich-, gasping, and his name in a voice like sin) and they had come roaring back with a vengeance in the week since the incident in the garden, waking every morning hard and wanting, unable to find satisfaction. It wasn’t until he was headed back the Nara clan compound that something jarred him out of his mood. Kakashi was with Might Dai and his young cheerful wife, playing with their boisterous son and Sakumo was determined to get some answers this time about the mysterious gift giver. But the sight of Shikara talking to a young woman with Hyuuga pale eyes brought him up short; the two clans were not known for their friendliness, if anything the opposite was true (and Sakumo knew is Uncle-cousin would be so disappointed in Konoha, Tobirama-sama had fully believed that the village would continue on the path to integration after his death, it hurt to know he was wrong), they weren’t as bad as the Uchiha and the Hyuuga but he couldn’t think what a Hyuuga main family member would have to ask the Nara matriarch about.

He hung back politely to wait until their conversation was finished but even so he caught a bit of it before both women noticed him (“- and I just don’t know what to do Nara-sama, Tashiro will never admit that he did anything wrong, but to leave him so undefended as to get him wounded-“ “I know Hana but we can’t-“ “but you are the only person who _listens._ He’s not what they say-“ “I know Hana but I can’t-“), Shikara looked up at him and nodded but there was a look of deep concern on her face. Clearly whatever they had been talking about (someone wounded? Because they were undefended? That was….concerning) had her very worried for it to be visible. She turned to the younger woman “I’ll do what I can, but my hands are tied for now. I need more information.” Hana deflated looking pained, but she nodded anyway “Yes Nara-sama.” Before she turned, nodded to Sakumo and trudged down the road away from the compound. “Anything I can help with?” Sakumo asked, momentarily distracted from his own worries. Shikara gave him a long look and sighed “I don’t know. But, keep your ears open and know that most of the rumors and scuttlebutt in the village isn’t true; don’t believe anything you haven’t seen yourself.” He stared at her, that was very specific advice, she shook her head “Something is moving in the shadows and it has long reach. I can’t, not won’t, can’t. tell you more now.” He froze, that was a very specific phrasing. One he had heard before.


	3. Wolfsbane

Orochimaru couldn’t stand it. He knew he was hitting the end of his rope and as much as it infuriated him he could do nothing to stop it (Danzo had tied his hands too well, Orochimaru was so isolated at this point that he had nowhere to turn and only his thoughts to fill his time). He didn’t need to be ordered to go to the labs at this point, he spent every waking moment there (he hadn’t been on a mission for almost two weeks, he didn’t know why- it was the longest he had gone without one since Tsunade left- but he was afraid that it was yet another show of distrust, it wasn’t like he knew what the report after the last mission had said) and buried himself in the data trying to find something he could use to distract Danzo; he had found one thing. But… he didn’t want to do it. Self experimentation wasn’t exactly something _he_ minded but it certainly wouldn’t help him in Sensei's eyes and he was the person that controlled Orochimaru’s access to Kakashi. There was also the added complication that if the experiment took- and it might- it would be in large part due to Orochimaru’s bloodline, which meant Danzo would become _invested_ in his blood. And he….. he couldn’t stand the idea of being made into some twisted _brood mare_ just because Danzo wanted more children to work on. It was one thing with Sakumo who he had… admired for a long time and wanted to sleep with (wanted more) even if he had found later that it was all a lie for a while it had been…. Well. He held it close some nights when it was all he could do not to lash out just to feel something. Learning that Sakumo had been _drugged_ had broken something inside of him, that he had never actually chosen Orochimaru, would never even _remember_ it still sat inside him like the perfect enemy; cold and heavy and hitting him sometimes when he saw the other man like a sucker punch in the stomach. But there was still Kakashi who was everything he could ever want- and who he had managed to convince Danzo was of no interest (more useful to hold his freedom over Orochimaru’s head than to have the boy to experiment on)- but that wouldn’t be true of other children. (The fact that the idea of sleeping with _anyone_ other than Sakumo made him sick to his stomach- literally- had very little to do with it in the end.)

He would wait. Maybe he could find another way, he had a bit of time yet. The first child that Danzo had his eye on was still too young to be of interest (“they need to be at least year old” he had told the older man “younger than that and they don’t have enough chakra to support anything” true and also a lie) but at any moment Danzo might decide he wanted the boy and hang what Orochimaru said (he had crept into the orphanage when the boy was taken there, it was Orochimaru who had named him Tenzo and sat with him once in a while when it all got to be too much). He had a plan, the Yamanaka that worked in the labs was being groomed for it; slowly pushing him to increase his empathy, to care more for children, if Tenzo ended up here at least they should care enough to give him some affection and protect him when Orochimaru was gone and couldn’t help him. It wasn't a _good_ plan, but none of his seemed good these days; all he had was to wait it out and try to figure out a way to go past Denzo and the Hokage to force this insanity to stop. It was vague plan and relied too much on other people. He needed Shikara to be interested- and strong- enough to go looking in the shadows, he need the Yamanaka to be invested in the welfare of any charges he was given, (he needed Sakumo to be strong enough to protect Kakashi) he needed the clan heads to be angry enough to depose the Hokage. Which he was sure would never happen if his involvement was at all indicated, then the whole mess would be pinned on him and never pursued farther (after all they all knew he wasn’t _right),_ so when the time came that all the pieces were in place and ready he needed to die on a mission.

He had spent a lot of time think about it since he got wounded and that would perfect. If he died a while (a month ideally) before it all came to light, then it couldn’t be pinned on him easily- not when his death had done nothing to stop it. But the pieces needed to be ready as quickly as possible- so his manipulations had to be sped up (especially since he wasn’t sure he had actually healed himself right, it would be so _embarrassing_ to die because he did that wrong, Tsu would- ah. no)- and he wasn’t sure how to do that. He had never understood people well and that hadn’t changed just because he had a child. Oh, he knew how to appeal to the darker emotions- how to manipulate someone to listen to their darker selves- but to shift people into being better than they were? No one had ever taught him that (and they had taught him how to make a good man go bad, he had been _good_ at those lessons), so he was left guessing and hoping and trying to recreate in others what Kakashi made him feel. He was sure he didn’t do a good job of it. (Self-experimentation was to be avoided at all cost, if it couldn’t than he needed to figure out what they had given Sakumo to make him lay with Orochimaru so he could drug himself before…. well. before)

The rout he took to the Nara compound was a carefully calculated thing; different every time in the shadows and with chakra bound as tight as possible, stay away from Inuzuka so they can’t smell him and avoid the Aburame as well incase they noticed, enter over the wall where there was an opening in the clan members watching the compound- Shikara always left one for him if Kakashi was with them- and slip into the clan head’s private garden. Shikara smiled at him when he slid out of the shadows tilting her head to where Kakashi was playing in the garden, “Orochimaru, are you alright?” He blinked at her stunned, (no one had asked him that since, Tsunade….) “I’m not sick” he said slowly trying to figure out what she was looking for. “That’s not what I meant.” She sighed “Troublesome. Go see your kid.” Orochimaru shot her another wary glance but drifted out into the garden.

Shikara watched him with a frown on her lips, she could see he wasn’t well- and if she wasn’t much mistaken, he was limping a little, which was _bad_ \- but if he refused to let her help, she didn’t know what to do. And she couldn’t _make_ him trust her, he would never believe it, not now; but she had grown fond of him. When she has first seen the way, he watched Kakashi she had been every bit as concerned as anyone else in village (she was ashamed of that) but then one day she had seen something else. Kakashi had been running in a playground and taken a bad fall, just as she moved to dry his tears Orochimaru was there kneeling at his side and using one long sleeve to wipe his eyes (and nose, she never would have believed that _Orochimaru_ would let a child get snot on his clothing) and run a gentle hand over his head, he didn’t say anything but in that moment it couldn’t have been clearer how desperately he cared for the little boy, and as the light slanted through the trees it caught on the gold amongst the gray. And Shikara had _known_.

He had frozen in place when he saw that she had seen him with Kakashi and when she took a step towards them, he had recoiled vanishing out of view faster than anyone else would know how to do. It had made Shikara think that night and go though the long clan record that the Nara kept, it was then she found the notes and knew; Orochimaru was Kakashi’s other parent. Which meant somehow, he had slept with Sakumo and Sakumo didn’t know it (and the timelines were- except, Orochimaru had gone on a long mission away from Konoha, what if he had never left? What if Kakashi was born early, but that meant he was born _two months_ early which was very, very concerning) and she knew Sakumo didn’t know, he would never sleep with someone and then act like he didn’t even know them, it wasn’t in his character. So, drugging maybe? And it couldn’t be Orochimaru either, not with the way he followed the Hatake with his eyes anytime he was near, not when he so clearly wanted to talk to him and yet always left before anyone could even notice. So, someone else had drugged Sakumo and he had slept with Orochimaru- who had definitely not known Sakumo wasn’t aware, Orochimaru had been halfway in love with Konoha’s White Fang for years, no way would he have done that- who had then become pregnant (still unclear on how that worked, but not important) and been taken somewhere for the last of the pregnancy and birth before Kakashi was taken from him and given to Sakumo. Then rumors had started that meant Orochimaru couldn’t spend even a moment with Kakashi and insured his isolation was made worse; someone wanted Orochimaru barely balanced on the edge of sanity.

Shikara had done what she could, the first day he had shown up and she had placed a sleeping Kakashi in his arms it was like someone had cut every line holding him up, he had literally fallen to the ground with his son in his arms and his long hair had hidden his face but she would bet almost anything that he had cried. Emotionless and twisted her _ass_. God she was tired of hearing rumors about him, she was pretty sure those high and mighty assholes wouldn’t cope at all with everything he had lost, after all Tsunade- _hime_ had lost even less and let it drive her out of Konoha and away from her responsibilities. Fuck but she was tired of watching him teach his son what he could without anyone noticing, without Kakashi even knowing who he was, she was tired of seeing the way he stood in the shadows and watched Sakumo, she was so tired of hearing people repeat _bile_ about him based on nothing more than happenstance and not being about to say anything. She couldn’t risk whoever it was that controlled him finding out he had an ally, much less someone who was letting him see his kid. But it might not matter soon. Orochimaru was giving up. There was something he thought he needed to do and then he was just. Giving up. He probably had an idea about how to make sure people found out about whatever was going on, but his plans didn’t include him alive.

She looked at him kneeling next to Kakashi, eyes soft at he told him about the flowers around the pond, it was an adorable picture, Orochimaru all off white robes and dark hair swept forward over one shoulder as he tipped his head to listen to Kakashi- and like this it was so clear who was Kakashi’s ‘mother’ that it hurt. No. she was not doing this. She was not going to let Konoha kill its last loyal Sannin. She would have to work faster and drop any hints she could to Sakumo- the scent thing might work. Maybe. She- like most people- forgot that Hatake had noses every bit as keen as any Inuzuka; if she could get Sakumo working actively looking for the scent he smelled on the blanket that would be a start. Though she needed to feel out how he felt about Orochimaru first; it would do no good to get him to figure out who it was if he didn’t care about Orochimaru, that would break the snake Sannin’s heart (the one most people said he didn’t have). And maybe she could work faster about cluing Inorue in that something was wrong in the village. Maybe the head Yamanaka could get a better feel for where the root of it was. Orochimaru’s voice startled her out of her thoughts when he raised it slightly looking at her sideways though his hair “This is wolfsbane cub, remember the worst of the poison is always in the _Root_. So, start there when you are looking for illness. If the _Root_ ever catches you it could be deadly for you.” He lowered his voice a bit, turning his attention to the boy again when Kakashi said “What if it makes me sick?” “I will do everything I can to help you. I promise.”

* * *

Sakumo wanted to kill something. If he had thought that a little more distance from Konoha would help he was wrong. He had only gone on an overnight mission but instead of helping had spent the entire time dreaming those same dreams; oh they had tamed, fragments that left him wanting but not half out of his mind with it, but still and to add on top on the Shikara’s opaque warning about the rumors and how they might be connected to the scent carrier (not that that was what worried him the most. He scanned for a head of long dark hair) making him twitch and he just wanted to beat Dai into the ground and then find his kid and go home. Well he could get a start on that at least. Convincing Dai to go to training ground nine wasn’t exactly hard, though his friend was visibly surprised by the ferocity with which Sakumo went after him so soon after a mission - easy or not (Sakumo wasn’t normally a violent man); still he allowed Sakumo to beat him into the ground and then laid him out with a sucker punch when the Hatake went to help him up. “What has gotten into you my friend?” Sakumo rubbed at his face at the question lying on the grass where Dai’s punch put him “It’s…. complicated. Have you ever looked around at the village and realized somehow, it’s not what it should be? Its just, Dai I saw a Hyuuga talking to a Nara the other day and I saw _shocked_. That’s not right. Its not was Tobirama-sama wanted, I remember him and I know he planned to the village to get _better_ after his death not…” he waved a hand vaguely in the air above his head “Even if I ignore that what about the fact two of the Sannin are missing-nin except for the Hokage’s favoritism and the last loyal Sannin is reviled for no reason that I can find?” Dai frowned and sat next to him “Sakumo, surely you’ve heard. He is barred from spending time with children. That's not a good thing.” Sakumo sat up with a sharp growl “That’s just it though, _why_? Who said that? Where did you hear it? Do you know why it happened? Because as far as I can tell it’s just a rumor started somewhere with no official word to anyone that it was to be enforced; just a rumor and rather than ask questions about someone who as always been loyal people were just ok with vilifying him. You know if something had happened to warrant that edict officially it would be all over the place and probably he would have been banished; not like Hiruzen is doing anything to keep him here or protect him the way he would the others. Dai, Jiraiya abandoned them in a warzone _and nothing was done to punish him_ , nothing. Imagine if Orochimaru had done that.”

Dai stared at him. Sakumo could see the sharp brain very few people gave him credit for working and an increasingly appalled look on his face “Sakumo…… if you’re right….. god. Why hasn’t he left already?” the white-haired man shrugged helplessly “I don’t know. Loyalty?” “Sakumo, this, this is _intentional_. Someone want’s him in this position.” “I know, that’s why I haven’t said anything to anyone I don’t trust completely; if word gets back to them that people are starting to ask questions it could escalate. I don’t want to make it worse for him.” Sakumo’s voice broke on a slight whine at the last word and he missed Dai’s shocked glance. “All we can do is watch and try to see the spider’s web and when the time is right make it up to him” Sakumo snarled and shoved off the ground, stomping away and staring into the trees for a moment. “He got wounded on his last mission. A Sannin. Wounded on a routine mission. There’s just no good reason for that to happen, somehow he was taken by surprise and he had a team to watch his back.” Dai felt sick “You don’t….. someone tried to get him killed?” “No probably not, but they didn’t try _not_ to get him killed. If this keeps up, we may not ever have a chance to make it up to him.” The silence that fell at that declaration hung around them. Sakumo rubbed a hand over his face again “I got to go get Kakashi, he’s with Shikara and I want him home before bed. Just. Be careful.” (Dai watched his friend walk away with worried eyes, he didn’t like any of this and he was worried about Orochimaru but he wondered if Sakumo even saw how deeply Orochimaru affected him. Always had if Dai thought about it really.)


	4. Bloodroot

For once Orochimaru was feeling rather pleased with himself. He had a successful day in the lab, he’d seen Kakashi yesterday, and Sakumo had actually smiled at him a little last night. All in all it was a good day and made it easier to ignore the pain in his abdomen (definitely messed something up then). Given that and the fact that Shikara seemed to have understood a warning when she heard it but to have never heard of the Root maybe he was getting his hopes up too much for things getting better in the future, but still. (Maybe he would check on Tenzo tonight?) If nothing else Danzo had been pleased with his recent progress with a murderer that he had managed splice DNA into and have it hold, as long as the blasted man didn’t die for a while he should have some breathing room. Thank god. He wanted a shower, preferably a cold one (he hated the cold, but it was better than the alternative. He had dreamt of Sakumo again and it was always very hard to not take himself in hand when he did, it was only the horrible dirty way it made him feel knowing that Sakumo hadn’t really given his consent or wanted to be there that always stopped him. His blood might feel like it was on fire, but it wouldn’t be right- even _he_ knew that- to do anything while thinking of that night).

Orochimaru didn’t make it into his house. There was yelping coming down the road and he heard Kakashi yell “Sensei!” fuck, if people heard him called that it would be bad. Oh never mind. It was already bad. Because Kakashi was wrapped in his father’s arms. Orochimaru wanted to run to him, he wanted to hide, he wanted to go home; but Kakashi was crying and he _couldn’t_ ignore that. “Yes Hatake?” he answered as neutral as he could keeping a close eye on Sakumo as he did. “He’s sick, he eaten flowers and now he’s sick and you promised you’d help” (Orochimaru winced, he didn’t need Sakumo knowing about that promise) and Kakashi shifted to show the wolf cub in his arms. Orochimaru sighed, oh well. He would just have to figure out another way to fix things, there was no way he was _ever_ ignoring his child in distress. “There now none of that” he said calmingly “Lets look at the cub now. Did you see what he consumed?” Orochimaru was very careful not to touch either of them as he took the wolf pup from Kakashi and dropped down so he could place the pup on the ground; Sakumo knelt down so he could see what Orochimaru was doing without Kakashi falling out of his arms. “Bloodroot! It was bloodroot” “And he had the flowers? Just the flowers?” Kakashi nodded vigorously “Can you help him?” he asked tentatively. “Yes” sighed Orochimaru. Repercussions be dammed.

* * *

Sakumo was both confused and thrilled. When he had picked Kakashi up yesterday he had been in a wonderful mood babbling about everything he learned that day and cheerful as could be, but this morning he had woken up sad and wouldn’t let go of his blanket. Sakumo was able to lure him out into the sun with the promise of playing with the other wolf cubs which filled most of the morning as the elder Hatake rolled around on the ground with them. But after lunch and while Kakashi slept curled up next to his knee one of his elder summons dropped down across the table from him. “You should have your mate with you.” Sakumo closed his eyes, this was an old argument between them “Hime, we have discussed this, I am not going to rush out and just choose someone to be my mate without any other interest.” “I am not saying you should choose one cub; I want to know why I haven’t met yours yet. It’s insulting to both of us.” He lowered his brush “I. I don’t understand; I don’t have a mate. I never have.” It if was possible for the Hime to raise an eyebrow she was “You smell of mated wolf. You haven’t claimed them the human way yet?” “No. no I haven’t, Hime I can’t have a mate, I would have noticed.” She scoffed and dropped her muzzle to rest on her paws “Clearly not” and refused to be pulled into conversation again.

He didn’t get it, why in the world did she think he had a mate? He hadn’t even had sex with more than one or two people in _years,_ they never felt right, were never really satisfying and there was just no way he mated someone in the middle of unsatisfying sex. Just, no. Before that it had been encounters like the one with Kakashi’s mother, individuals he didn’t know other than a warm hand and another presence in the dark; and whatever Hime said Sakumo refused to believe he would mate a person he didn’t know at _all_. Surely, he would need to know them enough to want them for that to happen. It had too. So, she must be mistaken. Right? (white skin, slender hands clutching at his neck and around his wrist for purchase as he thrust-) No, of course not. By the time Kakashi woke up Hime had dismissed herself with one last disappointed glance at Sakumo and he was well and truly ready for a break. Going out to lounge in the sun again seemed like a great idea until Kakashi started yelling at one of the wolf pups “No! No! NO!! don’t eat! Bad!” Sakumo was besides his son as fast as if he had teleported. The puppy- one of Longclaw’s cubs- was standing in a patch of white flowers clearly having been chewing on them and looking sheepish at being caught. Only…. those flowers…. “NOOOOO! Bad flower!” fuck. That was bloodroot. “Kashi….” Sakumo said quietly, the flowers were already taking hold in the tiny body, “No!” said Kakashi setting his little chin “Sensei can fix! He promised to help. He knows everything, he can fix it!” Who the hell was Sensei?

Sensei, as it turned out, was walking down one of the back roads on the edge of the village clearly headed home when they caught up after following Kakashi’s nose, and Sakumo swallowed dryly at the mesmerizing deep mahogany hair swaying in the faint breeze (he never forgot the first time he saw it like a banner in the wind after it was knocked loose from the tight bun it was normally in back then in a battle on the frontlines). “Sensei” Kakashi screamed right into his sensitive ear, Orochimaru paused and then sagged- only the tiniest bit, but Sakumo was watching- and turned “Yes Hatake?” His voice was totally devoid of emotion, but he was sending tiny looks at Sakumo through his hair- waiting for him to be upset he hadn’t listened to the not talking to kids thing?- while Kakashi babbled the story of what had happened. Orochimaru seemed to slump a bit clearly capitulating and all his intense focus was on the little boy as he took the wolf pup from them and settled on the ground checking its vitals and asking Kakashi questions. 'Shouldn’t be around kids'? He wanted people to say that while looking at this, seeing the proud Saninn kneeling in the dirt healing a puppy because a little boy was crying. Fuck all of them. (The rush of protectiveness was old hat when it came to Orochimaru he had just never figured out what to _do_ with it.)

He drew a vial of something slightly green out of his sleeve and beckoned Kakashi closer- flicking a glance at Sakumo to check that he wasn’t going too far- and carefully began showing him how to help the cub and give him the cleansing agent. The white-haired man stopped paying attention to what exactly was being said focused on the hands gently moving the cub; he could, he could almost swear he had been touched by those slim hands- except Orochimaru had never touched in in his life (he would remember that) so why?..... He knew what those long fingers felt like he was sure of it. Right? Maybe a dream? Or a fantasy. (One where smiling at him when he passed Orochimaru in the street didn’t make the man stop in his tracks from the sheer shock at friendly face.) Not that he fantasized about Orochimaru very often, more idle daydreaming when he was bored on the front and had seen the snake Saninn fight (he was stunning all the time, but when he fought it was something else) and after the war was over and everyone came back he had seen very little of the other man and not thought much of it too be honest- though he did suddenly end up with a kid to take care of- until he started listening to the rumors on Shikara’s advice. And then the image he drew was a worrying one, very worrying. And completely different from what Sakumo was seeing; sure Orochimaru smelled of a strange off putting mix of bleach, rubbing alcohol, and astringent chemicals (was there something almost floral underneath?) that made Sakumo’s nose sting and the dark-haired man was reserved to the point of coldness, but mostly he just seemed wary. Like he was just waiting for Sakumo to say something derisive or snatch Kakashi away from him; which meant he had probably had people do that, a lot. You don’t learn to be that watchful in a day.

Orochimaru pressed carefully at the cub’s stomach showing Kakashi how to induce vomiting (another sideways look, was Sakumo supposed to be upset at that?) and Sakumo nodded firmly, “That’s a very good thing to know Kakashi, cubs are always eating things they shouldn’t and knowing how to help them get it out of their system is important.” Kakashi nodded seriously petting the soft fur of the wolf pup, “I knew you could make him better Sensei; you know everything.” He said seriously. Orochimaru looked taken aback his voice was calm when he told Kakashi “I’m not your Sensei, you can’t call me that. People wouldn’t like it.” Sakumo frowned (Orochimaru flinched) if Orochimaru was aware enough of the rumors to warn Kakashi about them that said he also cared more about them more than the white-haired man would like. Orochimaru rose to his feet in a graceful sweep Sakumo couldn’t help but admire and used the excuse of whipping dust off his robe to avoid having to look at him; Sakumo sighed. There wasn’t really anything he could do however much he admired to slender man, he couldn’t interfere without running the risk of making it worse and wasn’t close enough to him to offer support; so just not acting like an asshole would have to do for now. Besides, he needed to find the person with the flower scent; which continued to baffle him- he knew it triggered his instincts and that it was connected the Kakashi and he would have thought that it was actually Kakashi’s mother except the scent markers were slightly male but basically sexless. So, there were no leads there as to what the hell was going on. (The dreams must be dreams- he didn’t forget people he slept with and had no bent towards dugs or alcohol. He would have remembered.)

He frowned slightly as he took Kakashi and an exhausted puppy home after Orochimaru walked off before he could even thank the other man- frustrating- because this…. “Kakashi, how do you know Orochimaru?” Oh! That’s Sensei’s name? He never told me!” Oh, yeah that made sense if he was trying to keep the fact that he had talked to one of the kids quiet. “He comes to see Shikara-sama a lot and plays with me while he waits or as they talk and stuff. He’s been teaching me about poisonous plants and lightning- he says that’s my affinity!” which, he could already tell? That was dammed impressive. Especial since he had managed to teach a two-year-old- uncannily smart or not- enough to recognize bloodroot on sight. Why wasn’t he a Jounin-sensei? Unless it was the no kids bullshit (Sakumo was beginning to think he needed to get himself a Hokage to hang on his wall). “Kakashi,” he said seriously as he set his son down on the porch crouching to look him in his gray eyes (when the light caught them like this they almost looked gold) “Kashi I don’t mind you spending time with him and I’m really proud of you or learning from such a good ninja, but not everyone is going to agree, ok? So, if you want to keep seeing him you can only do it in the Nara compound and you can’t tell anyone, not _anyone_. Alright?” Kakashi got a mulish look in his eyes “You don’t like him either” “No kido, I do, I like him quite a lot, but he could get in trouble, and I don’t want him to get hurt.” If there was one sure way to get a Hatake to listen it was to appeal to the need to protect others. As Sakumo expected Kakashi sagged, small face falling into one of the saddest looks Sakumo had ever seen “No one?” he asked again in a small voice. “No one” Sakumo affirmed. Kakashi nodded his agreement but dinner was still a quiet affair and he mostly just pushed around his food.

After Kakashi was put to bed with a grateful Longclaw to watch him Sakumo headed for the Nara compound, he needed to be more careful probably or people might start wondering what had him going there so often without Kakashi; maybe he could pretend to be sleeping with one of them? The idea was distasteful but might be the best cover.

He was allowed into the clan head’s house without contest and the Nara cousin watching the door brought Shikara to him with only a brief wait. The Nara matriarch raised a dark eyebrow at him when she saw him “What brings you to my house so late in the evening Sakumo?” “Walk with me? I would love to see the deer again?” she narrowed her eyes at him thoughtfully but agreed with no argument. As they approached the edge of the woods she said “I had the most interesting conversation with Dai the other day. He seemed most concerned for the ‘youthful spirits’ of those within the compound, especially the children.” Sakumo hummed thoughtfully “I spoke with him about some of what you had said. When I started paying attention there were several things that bother me, but the worst is of course the way snakes are being pushed out.” Shikara stared at him. “You are terrible at double talk. Never try again. We're far enough out it should be safe now any way.” Sakumo laughed, he really was bad at it; oh, he could lie so that you would think an apple a tomato, but the half truths and small allusions that these sorts of conversations so frequently required? Hopeless. “Even _Dai_ is better than you” Shikara grumbled. “I know, that’s why I though it would be best to get away from the compound. Truly though, Shikara, the shit people are spouting about Orochimaru has me really concerned. Even Dai believed it until I pointed out all the gapping holes in the idea.” Shikara grimaced tiredly- she was energetic for a Nara, but still- “I know, its bad. I didn’t think about it too much until I saw him talking to a kid and realized what a load of crock it all is.” Sakumo examined her “It was Kakashi wasn’t it?” she didn’t change at all- didn’t go still, no change in breathing, nothing- and he shook his head “I don’t mind Shikara, Kashi clearly likes him and the worst he’s going to do is teach him some ration and scare the crap out of me when he uses it one day. Orochimaru’s not going to hurt him. That’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about, I don’t care if Kakashi spends time with him- more power to him to be learning from a Saninn (especially the last loyal one)- but I know Orochimaru wants it kept quite that he spends any time around Kashi.” He could have sworn Shikara relaxed at that. “That’s good. Very good. He likes teaching him and I like getting Orochimaru someplace where everyone doesn’t act like he’s got a disease.” “I’ve talked to Kakashi about it, he knows he can do whatever he wants here but has to act like he doesn’t know Orochimaru outside” and wasn’t that a bitter pill to swallowed “he doesn’t like it, but he knows.” “None of us like it.” Shikara pointed out. “No” Sakumo agreed, “None of us do.”


	5. Foxglove

“If you can’t produce something better for me then give me another option. The Hokage is frustrated that there hasn’t been any progress.” Orochimaru stiffened “Sensei shouldn’t be impatient with work like this.” He said in a sibilant hiss. Danzo just look down his nose at Orochimaru, oh he knew that the snake Saninn was dangerous, but as long as he could hold the brat over the younger man’s head the snake had no fangs. They both knew it. Orochimaru fought not to flinch at the calculating look that flashed over Danzo’s face “Unless you want to procure a child of a more resilient bloodline for me? To bad the Uzumaki are gone, but maybe an Amatchi this time instead of a Hatake? I might do it myself if you weren’t repulsive.” Orochimaru couldn’t help it, he recoiled at the thought. Unutterably revolted at the thought of sleeping with anyone other than- _no._ Fool. No. “ _I will not be your brood mare Danzo”_ he hissed furious; Danzo _laughed_ , that _fucker_. “Not yet maybe. But if progress isn’t made……. Well. it would be awful if something happened to Kakashi wouldn’t it, Sakumo would be heartbroken.” Orochimaru looked at the faux sorrow on Dazno’s face and _hated_. (And worse than anything was the fact that everyone would believe him.)

They would look at him and see an honest man trying his best, and then they would look at Orochimaru who was cold and serpentine (who was abandoned by everyone, teammates gone- already whisper starting about him driving them out- a Sensei that refused to look him in the eye or give him any responsibility in the village even with his power- surely he had done _something_ \- and he must be why) and they would tear him apart. And were it not for Kakashi (and Sakumo) he would shred them right back. He would raise this village to the ground and burn all the was left, he would turn the full weight of every bit of anger he had on every survivor (all those who abandoned him) and he would live until he could see it done. But. But Kakashi. He couldn’t hurt Kakashi, he wanted to be the sort of parent to his son that his parents were to him. He wanted to see his child grow straight and tall and fierce; strong enough no one could _touch_ him without his permission. And Sakumo hadn’t abandoned him, Sakumo had never even been his to begin with.

Orochimaru spun and stormed out of the lab. “I want something by then end of the week Orochimaru!” Danzo called after hm laughter in his voice. Now that he had figured out a combination of threats to keep Orochimaru pinned between he would keep him there as long as he could; it was the perfect balance of threat and things weren’t ready yet for him to cut the gorgon’s knot. He had to wait a bit longer; Shikara was beginning to see the shape of the shadow but she was in no way ready to see what cast that shadow and though she had told Inorue Yamanaka she was having trouble getting the man to really focus on the problem. And the Yamanaka in the labs was still to bound to duty and determined to ignore the dirtiness of the work as long as _he_ didn’t have to do it, Tenzo might not die but that shouldn’t be something to feel proud of. Orochimaru had to stay. He couldn’t make any moves yet. He couldn’t bring himself to bear the looks of Konoha today, he body flickered home instead as quickly as he could, he could _feel_ phantom hands on him, and he couldn’t _stand it_.

The water of the shower was too hot and in seconds his skin was red and painful, but he couldn’t get the dirty feeling _off!_ He hissed sharply and slid to the ground of the shower arms curled around his knees. This, this of all things was not going to break him. But there was no one he could talk to about anything and he was _so_ alone. He pressed his face more firmly into his arms; he wanted out and it made him a weak fool but… he closed his eyes and remembered. It had seemed so strange at first to have Sakumo paying attention to him (which it should have given the he _hadn’t_ \- no. not today. Today he was pretending) but he had been so warm and Orochimaru had always had a weakness for warm things. So when Sakumo told him he was beautiful, when an offered spar turned heated, he didn’t ask too many questions; Sakumo had _never_ belittled him or flinched away from his presence, and when others spoke ill of him around the Hatake, Sakumo would make them stop.

It hadn’t occurred to Orochimaru that the one person who had never stabbed him in the back might do it; and of course, Sakumo hadn’t, but he hadn’t _chosen_ \- no. not tonight. Tonight, was for pretending. Orochimaru imagined (remembered) strong hands through his hair, the way they felt as they skated up his ribs. Lips on his neck and a voice whispering praises- it had been a glut of praise, more in those few hours than he could ever remember. Sakumo had bit odes to his skin on his collarbones, murmured adoration of his hair as he knotted his fists in it, adulated his eyes- _his_ eyes strange and gold and slit pupil and all- as brushed kisses over them, gasped admiration of his strength as Sakumo's hands gripped bruises on his hip bones. It had been like nothing Orochimaru had ever felt; warm and wonderful and the way it felt to have Sakumo bent over his back biting at his neck, how it had felt to be _filled_ and coveted. Orochimaru shuddered, remembered heat finally driving out the cold slimy feeling. He gasped, back arching, he could almost feel it; Sakumo sliding into him with a deep moan, the delicious ache, hands clawing at the sheets and spiting out threats and- _“patience, beautiful one” (a shuddering breath) “I-ah- I want to last for you. And yo-u, you test me” and Orochimaru laughed into a moan and opened his mouth to say something only to lose his breath as a thrust punched it out of him—_

* * *

 _\--and Sakumo knit their fingers together where they were clenched on the sheets, laving at the elegant neck bare to him and so, god, so good. “Faster wolf, or do I need to take care of things myself?” he slammed in hard and stayed pressed close, grinding closer in little circles, refusing, “now none of that” he rasped in a pale ear, pulled back and slammed in hard and fast and. that. That got a sound like none before and complete disintegration of words. Is was delicious and surely, he had never been with anyone this perfect before and-_ and Sakumo woke up moaning and hard as a rock. He gasped, swore, slammed a fist into the bed and wrapped a hand around himself chasing the impossibly wonderful dream. It was with a half-remembered voice whispering in his ear that he came with a sharp bitten off noise.

God. This could not just be a dream, there was no way something that vivid was nothing more than an imaging of his subconscious, but how could it be real? He couldn’t _remember_ sleeping with someone who sounded like that- a man he was fairly certain with a voice that deep- and if the sex was even half as good at the time as it was when he remembered it than it must have been transcendent. How could he have forgotten that? Fuck. He rubbed his hands over his face; why were there so many things that made no sense here? There was the _foxglove-and-larkspur_ , whoever his dream man was, whatever was fucking with Konoha to make it as bad as possible, and keeping Orochimaru alive, and he had a feeling like there was something basic he was missing and it would all make sense. He shoved himself up, he wasn’t going to figure it out right now he would go clean up for now.

Once clean and redressed in a new yukata he stopped at Kakashi’s room and slid the door open it look at his son; Kakashi was curled in a tight little ball with the end of his most recent blanket tucked in between his sharp little teeth. Sakumo huffed out a laugh, a little of the tension fading as he walked to the small futon and shifted the blanket to cover Kakashi again and- wait. That. Sakumo bent pressing his nose into the fabric, it wasn’t quite right but. Sense memory: white skin, heavy dark hair, a voice like sin, the smell of _foxglove and larkspur_ faint under the stronger scents of sex and exertion and not quite right, but if he added a little…. Sakumo slid slowly to sit next to his son. What the hell did this mean? Whoever it was that smelled like that, like the person he had smelled in the garden, he had slept with them and forgotten. Somehow. (and fuck that was one of the strangest parts of this whole thing, why did he _forget_?!) And for some reason they were bringing Kakashi gifts on his birthday- which they knew the exact date of- without telling anyone. Damnit, none of this made any sense. (He didn’t want to think about what it might mean that his instincts reacted so strongly to _foxglove-and-larkspur_ , it he had a half-claimed mate out there- which would explain Hime- a mate that he had abandoned over two years ago, he could never make it up to them. Ever. Hatake don’t just _abandon_ people. They don’t. especially pack. **_Fuck_** )

Late night revelations didn’t change the mornings duties and he was going to be gone for a while this time, a week at the least. He hated to be gone from Kakashi but Hiruzen promised it was necessary (Sakumo didn’t know how much he trusted the Hokage at this point) and Sakumo couldn’t turn it down. Not when he knew Hiruzen didn’t want to send Orochimaru for some reason (Sakumo wanted to think it was because he was worried about how drawn the pale man was, or because he had heard about his former student getting hurt and realized that that was _insane_ ; but he wasn’t betting on it) which at least meant he could rely on the snake Saninn (the _loyal_ one) keeping an eye on Kakashi. He would just ask Shikara to make sure they spent as much time together as possible. That might help. maybe. It wouldn’t hurt at least. Probably. Fuck he didn’t want to leave his kid here. He shook himself, _hard_ , he needed to focus on the mission and trust that Orochimaru and Shikara would take care of Kakashi. If something went wrong and he got hurt because he wasn’t paying attention that would be much worse and he couldn’t help anyone, though maybe he would say something to Dai on his way to the Nara compound; his instincts were itching at him like crazy and given that Hatake white chakra was woven into their instincts in a way even the Inuzuka would have a hard time understanding- Sakumo had been accused of having precognition a few times because of it- it was the white chakra that gave them such strong pack bonds and allowed them to claim mates.

The old story in Hatake clan went like this: hundreds of years ago while the Sage of Six Paths was yet a young boy and the Tree still bore fruit a wolf was running from hunters in a forest when she came across a large white rabbit that was dying from a hunter’s arrow, and the wolf who knew what it was to be afraid of hunters asked the rabbit if it would like a mercy kill so it could die fast and by the paw of another animal. And the rabbit said _no, but it you take me to the edge of the water and put me on the disk of the moon where it is reflected, I will give you a gift._ And not the wolf was hardly going to say no to a gift when it wasn’t so hard to get- she was a young wolf and didn’t nothing comes free yet- so she picked up the rabbit carefully and carried it to the water. And when the moon rose she waded out and placed the rabbit- who was all but dead now- on the disk of the moon; but instead of sinking like a rabbi should it floated. And then it changed into a beautiful woman in white robes and she told the wolf _you have kept your promise to me and I shall keep mine to you. Like me you shall have two shapes, woman and beast and like me you shall have children who are given a gift strange and beautiful and they, like me, shall prove they use it without you. And they will them give it to other, and then to others, and then to others, until it isn’t a gift at all._ But you see, a wolf is not a woman. A wolf could think of nothing better than to have cubs that could be independent, and no wolf would ever say not to growing the pack. So, though the Moon Rabbit may have meant it to be a curse of a sort it was a great gift to children of that wolf that became the clan Hatake. So always remember: pack above all, spread the chakra to those you love best for once marked they are always yours and those that kill must also know how to die (for that it what a wolf knows that a rabbit doesn’t).

It was a story Sakumo had heard in many voices his entire childhood and it was, as far he could tell, true after a fashion; though how allegorical was up for debate (Sakumo wouldn’t swear it wasn’t true exactly that way it was and Hime always looked mysterious when he asked). And the story that was part of the pain of Konoha, something in Konoha seemed to hate Hatake because all of his pack had died so quickly here; and some days he wondered if it was some fragment of the Moon Rabbit left to destroy the clan that had made a gift out of a curse.

Kakashi was tired and sad when Sakumo left him with Shikara that morning and clung to the blanket even tighter than usual- it made Sakumo nervous to see his normally bright curious cub so withdrawn- but he allowed it transfer and perked up when Sakumo told the Nara that he trusted Orochimaru and if they could spend time together that would be good, easily pleased at the idea of spending time with his Sensei. Shikara raised an eyebrow at those words but when he told her in a breath of a whisper that he was on edge and if anyone was strong enough to defend Kakashi it was Orochimaru she nodded slowly and agreed. (Shikara was confused as fuck. Sakumo had no idea who Orochimaru was to him and Kakashi and yet wanted her to trust his son to the Saninn, he was trying to keep an eye out or the younger man but seemed to have no idea that he had slept with him, and if Dai was right none of this was new; Sakumo had admired Orochimaru for a long time ‘how often does he mention Orochimaru’s loyalty? If there is one thing no Hatake can resist it is loyalty. And he mentions The Last _Loyal_ Saninn all the time.’ It was like he somehow both did and did not know. But he couldn’t because there was _no way_ he would leave Orochimaru in this situation if he knew. Which was part of why she had never told him, she couldn’t risk messing up _Orochimaru’s_ plan because he had most of the pieces.)

Sakumo sighed and ran a hand over Kakashi’s soft hair, pressed a kiss to his brow, nodded gratefully at Shikara and set off for the gate at a fast lope. Shikara held the child a little firmer. She hoped that when he came back, she had a safe child _and_ mate to deliver too him. Because once he came back, she was telling him. One way or another.


	6. Morning Glory

Orochimaru couldn’t decide if he was thrilled that Sakumo trusted him to protect Kakashi or deeply concerned. It made no sense that he did, it wasn’t like he knew Orochimaru all that well (well, except carnally, but he didn’t know that) so for him to trust someone the village considered bad news was a little concerning. (And yes, it felt good to think that Sakumo thought well enough of him to think he trusted him, but Orochimaru wasn’t going to trust anything when it came to Sakumo, he had learned that lesson when he woke up to Danzo at the door of the Hatake compound.) But it meant that while Shikara had always welcomed his company with Kakashi he felt noticeably more comfortable now that he didn’t feel like he was going behind Sakumo’s back, enough so that he was letting himself touch his son more; passing a hand over his soft Hatake gray hair, showing small hands (far to clever) how to shape the movement of hand signs- he liked Inu best-, steadying him with a hand on his back (and Orochimaru’s long fingered hand almost covered it). It hurt, it hurt in the best way, but he wanted to soak up as much as he could while he could; he still hadn’t figured out what he was going to do about Danzo’s ultimatum and his time was running very short. He had two days and nothing substantial he could use to buy himself time.

He was startled out of his dark thoughts by a tug on his generous sleeve and blinked down into his lap with great confusion. Kakashi was clambering into it and settling there with a pleased look on his small face. “….. what are you doing?” Orochimaru asked slowly “You seems sad Sensei, and I’m tired.” With that Kakashi shifted around in circle a few times (Hatake and their wolf things) before tucking himself against Orochimaru and pushing his head underneath the snake Sannin’s chin with a happy sigh. The dark-haired man looked at him for a long moment before carefully curling his arms around the little boy and tucking him nose into that lovely hair, breathing deep the presence of his child (he hadn’t had him this close in almost two years) and trying to pretend that the tightness in his throat was nothing more than the incidental effect of the weather (liar).

(Shikara looked out the window over-looking the garden and swallowed to see them. Orochimaru was an extremely graceful person ((male or female didn’t matter)) and seeing him there with his swirling robes spread around him and his child in his arms, curtain of dark hair hiding both their faces, it was like an illustration from one of the books of old tales of love and loss. And it _hurt_ to not know how this story might end.)

It was that moment in the garden with Kakashi that pushed Orochimaru through the night and early morning at the lab with something like equanimity. Right up until he arrived and found a small table prepared with a tiny child on it. _Tenzo_. _Fuck_. He was such a fool, of course this would happen; it wasn’t like Danzo cared that much and if adult trials weren’t going to work even when he knew Orochimaru was working his hardest (he _knew_ that Orochimaru would fight against either threat with everything he had) it was time to move on. Fine. Fine. He might have very little he could use against Danzo, but he wasn’t helpless (yet).

He picked up the little boy and smiled down at him carefully tracking the Yamanaka across the lab “Well then little one, shall we?” (ugh, this heavy handed manipulation was below him) he hummed a little and tickled the small belly (if Orochimaru, who everyone knew was cold hearted as ice, could care for a child surely a normal person could?) before turning absolutely to the Yamanaka and handing him the child “Here, hold Tenzo.” (establish that he was an individual) and turned to the table already laid out. Orochimaru picked up a siring (larger than he needed, induce horror) and careful filled it out of the small vial and cleared it of bubbles; (restraints next, make the man watch as he prepared the space for the child and see Orochimaru’s concerned looks and faint hesitation) before turning to the Yamanaka “Place him here, hold his head. Human touch _might_ help him” (make him feel responsible). It was hard to use the too large needle on the tiny boy (he felt sick, what if _Kakashi_ ) but the appalled look on the Yamanaka’s face helped; already he was feeling responsible- _good._

The way Tenzo sobbed his small heart out after the injection made Orochimaru feel sick and manipulation or no he immediately took the boy back and turned away from his audience, trying to sooth the painful crying “Hush little one, hush, this is no a place for tears. Save them for somewhere safer” (he couldn’t know but it was that more than anything that made the difference with Kyoshi. To see the way the snake Saninn cradled the boy and tried to help him _‘this is no a place for tears’_ even as his long hair stuck to chubby wet cheeks. Kyoshi couldn’t fight the sharp sting of guilt). Once the tears had slowed Orochimaru carefully checked Tenzo with a chakra glowing hand; stable for now, though how long that would last was anyone’s guess (well, Orochimaru’s guess. He had added a little of his own blood to the Mokuton, hopefully his bloodline adaptability would save the boy some pain), hopefully it would be enough. Just moving on to child experiments wouldn’t be enough to put Danzo off his plans (the man had a streak of petty cruelty that was far stronger than he would ever admit) so by the middle of next week he would be dead- he had made his decision, he was not going to let another man touch him. Sakumo would be the only person he ever knew that way- and Orochimaru had some more plans to lay in place first.

He reluctantly handed Tenzo off to the Yamanaka with strict instructions not to set him down for more than half an hour at a time that day- some bullshit about needing another’s chakra to help the transfusion work- and hoped it would be enough to get the ball really rolling (responsibility, guilt, possessiveness, the best Orochimaru could do with what he had) to make the man become attached. He had other work to do; he needed to wind down as many of his experiments as he could and start sabotaging the others- fuck what Sensei wanted at this point- by the time he was done Danzo would find out over the course of a month that he had much less to work with than he expected. (Maybe it would clear his memory a little posthumously, maybe they would realize he had done it, probably not.) And then he would go to the Nara compound; he would give Shikara all he could safely, say goodbye to Kakashi, and get back to his home and destroy or seal all he didn’t want to go to others. Kakashi would never know who his other parent was but Orochimaru would still leave him all he could. (Not the house, he had plans for the house and they didn’t include it lasting very long.)

* * *

Shikara was wildly concerned when Orochimaru showed up at her house, he was unpredictable in his comings and goings but it was unlike him to show up so quickly after leaving the labs; normally he took more time to make his way over to insure he didn’t have any tails, tonight he must have taken a very direct route. Worse than that was the fact that he arrived in the garden in a swirl of white robes and immediately picked Kakashi up (she had never seen him do that before) and pressed his face to his sons head as the little by giggled, clearly thrilled to be held by his second favorite person in the world. “Orochimaru? Are you alright?” she asked slowly. He didn’t answer for a long moment, face hidden by his hair (he used to wear it up, didn’t he? When had that stopped- _and why?_ ) before he said softly “Have you looked for Roots? Morning Glory puts down deep Roots and the seeds spread far. It’s a very poisonous plant you know, causes many problems but the hallucinations are the worst. And it hides so well, looks so pretty and noble.”

Shikara swallowed hard, that was more information than he had ever surrendered before “I wouldn’t know how to recognize it.” she told him slowly. He choked out a laugh “It’s frequently found in gardens” he looked her dead in the eyes “The Hokage has a fondness for it, he never seems to see the poison in it even though I have tried to tell him. Of course, maybe he knows and doesn’t care who he puts at risk by keeping such a plant so close.” He sounded so _bitter_ it turned Shikara’s stomach. He took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to Kakashi’s brow (Kakashi had been so quiet, his small nose pressed close to Orochimaru’s jaw and buried in his hair) before setting the boy down with a tight little smile “Be good for your father cub.” Kakashi yelped “No!!” grabbing for him, but Orochimaru was already gone. And the little boy burst into tears.

* * *

Kyoshi Yamanaka didn’t know what to do. The idea of leaving Tenzo in the labs alone overnight was repugnant but he couldn’t stay, and he needed to talk to his clan head. It wasn’t going to be a fun conversation and Kyoshi wasn’t even sure how much he could tell Inorue, he didn’t want to jeopardize his place in the labs (for Tenzo a little, but also his life’s work) but this wasn’t right. He didn’t know what was going on with Orochimaru but he had developed a respect for the man-woman-whatever (he had never expected too care, but Orochimaru had so clearly loved his son, and was clever, and astonishingly smart, and fought Danzo every step of they way so carefully Kyoshi hadn’t even seen it for a long time) and he didn’t like the tightness in the pale man’s face recently. (He didn’t like what he had heard in the bar when Hana Hyuuga was tired, angry, and drunk.) So, it was time for him to deal with the repercussions and have a conversation with the clan head, this had gone on long enough (too long).

* * *

Dai watched as Orochimaru drifted through the market; he had a bag with him, so he had probably been buying something but now he seemed to just be walking aimlessly. Dai was unnerved to realize how long it had been since he had seen anything like that happen (not since he would have been bracketed by two other figures to ease the pressure a little) and there was something sickeningly lonely about it, and worse in the way everyone flinched away from him (and he seemed to almost not notice, too used to it). Dai couldn’t have that; he wasn’t going to pretend that this wasn’t happening good idea or not. Orochimaru started a little when Dai popped up at his side and the large man forced himself to redirect the hand he was going to clap down on one slender shoulder (he liked that hand, he wanted to keep it) to rub the back of his head instead. “Orochimaru!!” he did try not to boom as much as he normally did in deference to the Saninn’s (the last _loyal_ Sannin’s) more reticent nature, even so he still got a faint wince and a wary look “Dai. What do you need?” Dai laughed and shook his head, “I need nothing! But you looked as though you would find some company most youthful!” Orochimaru sent him a look of such disbelief it scorched (and yes Dai could admit it was not his best effort, he should have thought of an excuse before he did anything) and unintentionally gave the other man a good look at his angular face. Dai did his best to pretend not to notice, but Orochimaru looked deeply unwell; it was the look Dai had seen on the frontline with shinobi who had hit the end of their tether (they never came back after they went out after that) and worry shot through him. Orochimaru snorted “I should return home, good evening Might.” And he was gone with barely a brush of wind.

(Sakumo needed to come home, he was probably the only person that knew Orochimaru well enough to help him- whether or not Sakumo knew it. And Dai knew Sakumo would never forgive himself if the man he was halfway in love with died before he had a chance to _try_.)

(Hana watched Orochimaru leave with tight lips. She hated what she saw in Konoha. And she hated what she saw it do to Orochimaru, she had admired him so much as a kid, had asked to be on his gennin team, had asked to be assigned permanently to his team, had asked to be allowed to ask if she could be apprentice to him, _anything_. She had been told she was to stay away from him except on official missions.)

* * *

Sakumo knew there was something wrong. He just _knew_ it. His chakra was crawling beneath his skin and all his instincts were going haywire; it had caused him to push his team hard on their mission, he couldn’t shake the need to get back to the village _now_. When they swept up to the gates, he left his dirty tired team (he felt wired, far to keyed-up for fatigue) at the gate and rushed to the tower to give his report as clearly and quickly as possible (“Sakumo what’s the matter?” “Nothing Hokage, I want to see my son. Is that all?” “Yes, but Sakumo-“ “Tomorrow Hokage.”) before booking it to the Nara compound. The sun was drawing low and he couldn’t out race the feeling that he was running out of time (he just didn’t know what for). It was exactly one week since he had left, and the village felt hostile and too quiet; the hush that seemed to surround him as he raced through the twilight deep and worried. (He was going to be late-)

Shikara must have heard he was back because she was waiting for him just inside the gates a quietly crying Kakashi on her hip. Sakumo stumbled, he had _never_ seen his son this upset; he looked as though he had been crying for days and a tiny exhausted whine was slipping out of him “Kakashi?” he asked gently and his son gave a tight wail and jumped for his arms forcing Sakumo to move quickly to catch him. The Hatake shot Shikara a shocked glance and she shook her head “I don’t know, he’s been like this since last night. He can’t calm down to tell me what’s wrong.” Sakumo tuned to his son “Kakashi, cub, what’s the matter? I can’t fix it if I don’t know.” he coaxed. Kakashi sucked in air trying his best to become coherent “Sensei- he- and you- and smells- underneath the nose stinging- and you- but he- and sad and worried- and afraid- and andand _andandi-“_ Sakumo stiffened “Cub, is there something wrong with Orochimaru?” Kakashi nodded hard “He- he- he smells so sad, and tired, and-and like he’s _hurt_.” The white-haired man fought down a snarl at the thought “Dad, dad, he smells like _you._ ”

Everything in Sakumo went still, “What?” “He, he smells- he smells” Kakashi fought back the sobs to talk “He smells like my blanket and right on his neck he smells like _you_.” There was a ringing in Sakumo’s ears (on his _neck_ , right where Sakumo would have bit him) “he smells like mom” Kakashi whimpered. “What.” Sakumo whispered. He looked at Shikara who was looking at him with no surprise “ _What._ ”


	7. Amaryllis (Naked Lady)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Attempted rape. Please don't trigger yourself.

“Shikara” Sakumo snarled tightening his grip on Kakashi “Shikara, what it _is going on?!_ ” she licked her lip and glanced around, “You should come inside-“ “ _NO. Tell me. Now.”_ “Sakumo!” she snapped, “It’s not safe to discuss it here, or do you want to put him in more danger?” Sakumo hesitated and forced his snarling instincts back a little “You have ten minutes.” He said tightly. She nodded and waved them into the compound, Sakumo stormed behind her, his arms tight around the still softly whining Kakashi and deep fury bubbling inside of him. God he was a _fool_ ; why hadn’t he listened to Hime? Why hadn’t he taken his instinct more seriously? He should have known there was something more to his fascination- even if it had started before all of this seemed to have come to a head. Shikara led them into her office at the back of the clan head house and waved Sakumo to sit “ _Shikara_ ” he growled, and she dragged in a deep breath “Have you ever noticed that Kakashi’s eyes look gold in the right light?” she asked. He stared at her and then twisted to look in his son’s gray eyes, and yes he had noticed something before but- she was right, Kakashi’s eyes had a distinct gold shine; and when he looked more closely the pupil was closer to an oval than a circle.

“ _How?”_ he whispered. Shikara sighed “Orochimaru is a bloodline, his family has fluctuating sex; I don’t know the specifics, but it is completely possible for him to become sufficiently female to carry a child- though not without some difficulty. Kakashi would have been born very early-“ “Which is why the timeline doesn’t match up.” He interrupted her, she nodded and went on “He would have had Kakashi for a few months before he was removed from his…. mother and given to you. Which is also when the rumors about his being a danger to children started. As far as I can tell he was forbidden to see his son and the rumors were started to enforce the ban; and everyone believed it. I did figure it out eventually and made it clear he could spend time with Kakashi here. What I don’t understand is how you never noticed if your nose is as good as it seems to be.”

Kakashi broke in “He always smells like alcohol; it makes my nose hurt.” He rubbed at his nose. Sakumo nodded “He always smells so strongly of the labs it’s never been possible to smell if he has another scent under it. But, Shikara, _why_ don’t I remember sleeping with him. I promise you I wouldn’t forget that.” She smiled a little “My guess? Drugs. Someone drugged you without Orochimaru knowing- and he didn’t know you were drugged; I promise you that- and has been blackmailing him into silence.” A deep snarl slipped out of Sakumo’s bared teeth (Shikara forgot sometimes how frightening the White Fang could be), the idea that someone had been blackmailing _his_ mate (and yes, he should have known, that treatment that Orochimaru had been getting from the village had incensed him) made him utterly furious. “Sakumo, I’m concerned about him. Something has been bothering him for weeks, but it has been much worse recently and when I saw him yesterday, he looked…. Like he had run out of time.” Shikara told him tiredly.

Sakumo lunged to his feet, hugged Kakashi “I’m going to go find your mother and make sure he’s ok. I’ll bring him back with me, we won’t lose him this time.” He told his cub. Kakashi sniffed and nodded firming his small chin “Bring him back, I want my mother” he said in a wobbly voice (and, well, that explained the fixation on the blankets, they must have smelled like his mother even if he didn’t know it because it wasn’t quite right) “I will cub.” He turned to Shikara “If you don’t find whoever has been hurting my mate I will” he said- threatened- and she nodded. “Sakumo, you should know, Orochimaru loves you. He has for a long time. Be careful of his heart, it’s fragile.” The Hatake bared his teeth at her “Drugs or no I would never have bitten him if I didn’t care about him. Not even an incomplete bite. Trust me, Orochimaru’s heart has nothing to fear from me.” (it helped though, to know that Orochimaru felt so strongly for him, no need to hesitate when he found the other man). He pressed a firm kiss to Kakashi’s forehead and put him down to go- and then a Nara he didn’t know slammed into the room. “Shikara-sama- fire.” The girl panted, Sakumo went cold “Orochimaru’s house, it’s on _fire_.”

Sakumo was gone before the girl even finished her sentence. _Wait for me mate, I’m coming for you._

* * *

Well, thought Orochimaru, that was stupid. He stumbled and grabbed at the tree trunk next to him, he was faster than his pursuer, but he was wounded and drugged, and it was very hard to concentrate on running. He never should have underestimated Danzo’s penchant for cruelty when he could get away with it; or, apparently, his interest in seeing _Orochimaru_ personally hurt. Orochimaru had known that Danzo would want to start on a new child for him to experiment on tonight, he had expected to have the vile man show up with some poor drugged Amatchi tonight and force Orochimaru’s hand, but he had not expected what he had gotten. The house was ready, everything was in place; only when he had opened the door it hadn’t been Danzo. It _had_ been an Amatchi, but not a drugged one. He hadn’t even had a moment to be surprised before the large man was lunging for him, even then he would have been able to defend himself, but the Amatchi had lashed out with a precise strike to Orochimaru’s side. To the side where the old wound, the one he had never quite healed right, and Orochimaru had hesitated at the unexpected and fiery pain. It had been enough.

The syringe had caught him in the neck as he tried to move with the pain and was followed by another blow to his side; between the two and the fast strike at his neck, he hadn’t had a hope of stopping himself from hitting the ground. The man above him had laughed nastily and kicked out, and then again, and again, and again, and Orochimaru’s vision went gray; he felt the man grab his long hair and was distantly aware of the pain of being dragged across the floor by it and thrown onto something (a rug?). “The floor is good enough for, _whore_. I would have liked to use the other drug- it would have been nice to see you beg for my cock- but Danzo-sama wants you to _feel_ it. He wants you to know you’re being forced to sleep with someone other than your precious Hatake.” The Amatchi leaned down and whispered in Orochimaru’s ear “Don’t tell him, I grabbed the other one anyway. The first time can be like this, but I want you to beg, I want you too know you have betrayed your _mate_. I want to see your pride _broken_ when I shove into you.” (Mate? What?)

Hands on his hips flipping him over “From behind you're almost tolerable, can almost pretend that you’re actually desirable.” He felt hands dig at his clothing, tearing the fabric as the man grabbed at Orochimaru’s skin. There was another rustling, and then the veil that the drug had drawn over his mind was torn open as two large fingers were shoved into him _hard_ with absolutely no lube or preparation. Orochimaru distantly noticed his mouth open in a pained gasp, clutching desperately for motor control “God you’re tight. This is going to be so nice.” A grunt. Orochimaru used the pain- his side was a dull fire, nothing to the other- and grabbed at his chakra, there was only one cock he would ever take up the ass, and it wasn’t this man. The fire seals he had laid around the house caught with a whoosh and the man behind him reeled back with a curse. Orochimaru used his shock and dragged himself away, desperate to be free of the man’s hands; he had enough chakra enough control to crawl and then stagger, slamming hard into the wall with his shoulder and checking on the Amatchi. Fuck, he had expected to be dealing with someone drugged, not someone who was fully cognizant and intent on raping him.

The large man was swearing as he tried to put out the flames on his clothes. The fire had been set to go off in the back of the house first (he had thought he would have time to get back to a proper bed, he thought there would be a reason for it to go off there first) it was only licking around the edges of the living room and had only caught the Amatchi because the other man had been near the entrance to the room. Orochimaru didn’t have time for this, he shoved at his sluggish thoughts trying to get them in order; the other man wouldn’t be distracted for long and when he recovered, he would be after Orochimaru. He would only want to hurt the snake summoner more because of this and the drug was still moving strongly enough in Orochimaru that he might not have long to get away (though the pain in his side might catch up to him first). Orochimaru staggered to the other doorway, he had to get away ( _Sakumo_ ). The time to the backdoor outside passed in a blur, but as he wrenched the door open, he heard a roar of fury behind him. He was out of time and launched himself across the garden grabbing a handful of flowers as he ran (this was not how he had planned to die, it was insulting, but anything was better than letting another man touch him) he might be able to outrun the other man long enough to get time to suppress his chakra and let the flowers work.

* * *

Sakumo didn’t even register the run across the village as he flew by the buildings; _why_ was Orochimaru’s family home so far on the outskirts of town? The sight of the building in flames gave him a pause for half a moment (people were starting to come and he could here the calls for a suiton user go out, thank fuck people were will to do at least this much) before he dove into the furiously burning building. The flames were burning hot and high (too high) and there was less smoke than there should have been (underneath it he could smell foxglove and larkspur; all it would have taken was him entering Orochimaru’s home to know? _God_ ) and he yelled desperately “ _Orochimaru!_ ” no answer; just the roar of flames. He swore, he didn’t know how to find- there was no way to scent, but, maybe, he dug inside himself for the thin strands of his chakra that connected him to his pack and looked for- _there_ a thread of chakra, thin and neglected but there. He wrapped himself around it and launched after it (the living room, mostly fine, knocked over furniture and ripped shreds of cloth) and though to the back door out into the night.

There was a clear trail through the flowers- no, wait, _two_ trails, one light and clean (Orochimaru) and the other large and heavy. Someone was _following_ _his mate_. The sound that left Sakumo had only the barest of resemblance to human speech and disintegrated into a horse howl (on the other side of the house- in the village- people slowed and stopped at the harsh sound looking around nervously. Some shinobi recognized that voice, the White Fang was **_hunting_** ) deep in the forest something tight and aching eased in Orochimaru’s chest.


	8. Oleander

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Attempted rape. Please don't trigger yourself.

Orochimaru stumbled, staggered, (he should be better than this, he was a _Saninn_ ) and hit his knees; he couldn’t fall now, his pursuer was so close ( _Sakumo was coming_ ) and would be there any second (he couldn’t bear it if Sakumo found him with another man) and the drug was slamming through his system making it hard to think. The flowers! He tried to focus enough to see what he had found but his vision was swimming and if he used his chakra to lower his toxin tolerance the drug would have him. Then it didn’t matter; a hand in his hair and then another around his throat “ _Bitch!_ I was going to try to make this easy on you, a few fingers to get you ready, but now you’ve made me mad. Take you like this, on your knees choking for air, make it _hurt_ ” Orochimaru’s robes were torn open, thick hands at his hips again. Swearing as the Amatchi desperately tugged on his own pants dragging them down one-handed, the other still tight around Orochimaru’s throat; and then he felt hardness press against him. There was a ringing in his ears and he felt cold as ice.

* * *

Sakumo couldn’t think, sinking deeper into the call of the wolf; his mate was in trouble, he needed to get there _faster_. He burst into a clearing, Orochimaru was on his knees a hand around his throat and eyes hazy with what must be a drug, another man behind him, the scent of- of _arousal_. Orochimaru’s robes all but falling off his thin frame elegant hands scrambling at the hand around his neck weakly; Sakumo saw red. He flew across the clearing, _his mate_ \- sunk fingers like claws into the hand strangling Orochimaru (who was staring at him with wide shocked eyes) and _ripping_. He reached out with his other arm sliding it around his mate and dragging Orochimaru to press him to Sakumo’s chest (Orochimaru sagged against him with a tiny sound of relief) and smacking the man that had been trying to _rape his mate_ across the face with the arm he had already ripped off. He wanted to make him _pay_ in pain and blood, to die slow and agonized “ _You dared, **dared** , to touch my MATE!?!”_ he snarled in a bass rumble; the man looked terrified through the pain of his missing arm. (Sakumo couldn’t see all he could feel was the faint trembling running through Orochimaru’s frame) He wanted to hurt him.

It was Orochimaru murmuring his name against his cheek in a slurred pained voice that brought him out of his rage, looking at the bloody pulp that was left of the rapist (that face was intact. Sakumo had wanted to see his pain and fear) “Sakumo, Sakumo, wolf,” he drew in a deep breath and wrapped his blood-soaked arm around his mate as well. He could smell it now under the smoke and the stench of the man that had tried to hurt him, foxglove and larkspur and sweet poison; and _blood_ , mate’s blood “You’re hurt, mate, where are you hurt? Orochimaru?” he said forcing himself not to check over Orochimaru, after what had happened the last thing he needed was another man pawing at him. Orochimaru huffed a dizzy sounding laugh “’m fine, what- mate? Just scratches. What you doing here? Why….?” Sakumo dragged him closer shifting to make sure the tattered robe covered his mate and pressing his nose into that lovely hair. (He was so angry he couldn’t remember their first time; it must have been amazing. He would just have to make sure the next time was even better.) “Calm. You are mine, my mate. I have been looking for you.” A tired noise “I’ll explain later. I promise, beautiful one.” Orochimaru sagged against him and Sakumo just barely felt his slick hair brush against Sakumo’s jaw.

He tugged his mate as close he could get feeling Orochimaru tuck his head into his neck and nuzzle tiredly at his jaw, pleasure twisted together with fear rushed through him- he had almost lost this. He knew what bloodroot and olrlander looked like and the scattered blooms told him a story he didn’t want to hear. Orochimaru had clearly had a plan and Sakumo might never have had this, might have found a body instead of a lover. The Hatake looked up at a sound, immediately going on defensive and tucking Orochimaru closer- if that was even possible- and shifting so that his long white hair disguised the other man’s identity a little, there was a quiet sound and then a young jounin stepped at of the woods his eyes huge in a pale face (Tashiro had heard stories of the fear the White Fang instilled in enemies and he had never seen it in the kind white-haired man; now, one side covered in blood, lips pulled back from long white teeth, now he could see it) “Hatake-sama, what, what happened?” he asked hesitantly. “That man tried to hurt my _mate_ ” Sakumo hissed, doing a good impression of Orochimaru, and Tashiro went even paler and swallowed hard. “I. we. Should. Probably take him back to the village?” he suggested hesitantly, Sakumo nuzzled at Orochimaru’s head, “Are you alright with this?” he asked quietly and Orochimaru shivered against him “No. but don’t have much choice. Here” Sakumo felt a long hand press a scroll into his hands and blinked at it- of course Orochimaru would carry around empty sealing scrolls- and threw it to the jounin “Scrape him into that. Try to keep the face recognizable.”

He turned away from the disgusted expression on the kid’s face and tightened his hold on Orochimaru as he set off for the village at a fast walk- he was all but carrying the other man at this point- “What do you want to do Beautiful one?” (that was a good pet name apparently, it seemed to make Orochimaru relax a little to hear it) he asked gently. “We have to go see Sensei don’t we.” Sakumo hated how resigned Orochimaru sounded, he clearly didn’t want too, but expected that not to matter; and Sakumo made a decision right there “No.” He said firmly “We’re going to the Nara compound. Kakashi is there and he’s been inconsolable without you.” Orochimaru pulled back a little- swaying dangerously- and stared at him “Really?” he whispered and Sakumo tightened his grip to tug his mate back into him. “Really. I want my pack together.” It hurt to feel the way those words hit Orochimaru like a blow as his breath hitched and he shifted even closer.

Sakumo gave in and just picked Orochimaru up completely when they reached the village proper so that they could jump through it without being noticed. Dropping down into the Nara compound got them a few looks from the shinobi discreetly watching the walls and nods when they saw the dark spill of Orochimaru’s hair, so he was able to slip into Shikara’s office uncontested. Inside he was surprised to see not only Shikara, but also Dai and Inorue as well as the Hyuuga girl he had seen talking to Shikara that evening by the gates (it seemed forever ago now); all of them shot him startled looks at his sudden appearance and then Shikara’s eyes went huge and she started to her feet when she saw Orochimaru tucked in his arms clearly unconscious or almost there and with his robe a ragged mess “ _Sakumo_ ” she whispered. Sakumo shook his head and looked at the girl “Hyuuga-“ “Hana” she said the pride in her voice diluted by the way she couldn’t take her eyes off of Orochimaru “My relationship with the family is… complicated. Is Orochimaru-sama ok?” he stared at her “Why is it complicated?” she looked him dead in they eyes “I have been asking to be allowed to learn from Orochimaru-sama for years and have always be denied, I’m done with it.” Sakumo nodded and looked at her for a moment. “Go to the Hatake compound an bring some of my clothes, I think all of Orochimaru’s burnt. Take this, it will get you past the traps.” She nodded looking relived to have a job and took the fang necklace from him before darting out the door.

“What happened?” Dai asked, clearly concerned. Sakumo ignored him “Mate? Are you awake? Kakashi will be here soon.” Orochimaru stirred a little in his arms (Inorue started, _mate?_ ) and nodded groggily, the drug was clearly doing a number on him, so Sakumo carefully sat down settled his mate in his lap just in time as a frantic Kakashi burst into the room. “ _Dad”_ he yipped and then he saw Orochimaru and lunched himself across the room and into the dark-haired man’s lap (Sakumo didn’t like the way the weight of the little boy made him hiss when it landed on his torso but he couldn’t smell new blood and let it go reluctantly) and Orochimaru’s arms went tight as be buried his face in his son’s hair “Shhh, its alright little one” he murmured (Inorue started, Orochimaru sounded so _gentle_ ; Shikara sent him a knowing look) and Kakashi whined high in his throat “ _Mama_ ” (this made Dai and Inorue whip around to stare at Sakumo). Orochimaru brushed a hand over his hair and hushed him quietly and Sakumo just sat and absorbed having everyone he cared for most in one place.

He was allowed to enjoy it until it was clear the Kakashi was asleep- it didn’t take long, he was exhausted from the last few days- and Orochimaru was drifting in and out of unconscious. Shikara asked “What happened Sakumo?” he sighed and pressed his jaw Orochimaru’s silk hair “I don’t really know. The fire was intentional I know that, and I found Orochimaru in the forest after he was chased down by a man. He was-“ Sakumo choked on his words hot fury filling him again “-he was about to _rape_ my mate.” He snarled. Orochimaru stirred against him and roused a little “He didn’t succeed my own, you got there before he could do that.” His voice was a little slurred and very tired but mostly clear. “Orochimaru, what happened? What’s going on?” at Shikara’s question Orochimaru shifted a little to look at her though his hair and she sighed “Just tell us, no more hinting. It not getting thing moving fast enough.” And Orochimaru- Orochimaru _pouted_ (Sakumo had the strongest urge to bite that tempting bottom lip) which left every shinobi in the room staring, before muttering “I had a whole plan laid out” he hesitated “You’re not going to believe me.” Sakumo’s hands tightened at the utter certainty in Orochimaru’s voice “Yes we will” he growled sharply, daring anyone to disagree with him.

Orochimaru examined his face for a moment before nodding slowly “You mean that. Alright. It’s Danzo.” He very determinedly didn’t look at the other occupants of the room “He’s been running a shadow organization called Root and leading some extremely shady experiments on Sensei’s order; including experiments on children in an attempt to recover Mokuton, I stalled the children part and convinced him to try adults but it was a stop gap. He’s obsessed with bloodline traits.” Orochimaru looked away from Sakumo and into his lap running his slightly shaking fingers through the soft gray hair “He drugged you” his eyes jerked up to Sakumo and with a sharp edge of desperation in his voice he added “I swear I didn’t know Sakumo. I would never- that’s- and to you- never. _I didn’t know_.” Sakumo leaned over him, absently unbinding his hair and letting it drape down around their faces to hide them from their audience “I know, I know you wouldn’t have, beautiful one, I know” he smiled a little and brushed a finger over Orochimaru’s neck just below his jaw where he could just see the edge of a pale scar in the shape of his teeth. “I know, this would never have taken, and I would never have bitten you at all if you were the sort of person that would.” Orochimaru raised his hand to brush over the mark as well and Sakumo captured it to press a kiss to the long fingers “What does this mean? You keep calling me your mate, what-“ “I’ll explain later, I promise, but I want you safe first.” Orochimaru’s lips pressed together but he let it go. Shifting the slightly shaking hand to brush over Sakumo’s jaw, and curl his fingers around the back of the Hatake’s skull and slowly drawing him down into a kiss. Sakumo went immediately and relaxed into the kiss immediately; it was so good to slowly explore those lovely thin lips and lick his way in, too feel the way Orochimaru’s hand tightened in his hair when Sakumo bit at his lower lip. He groaned deep in his chest when Orochimaru coaxed his tongue into the other man’s mouth and sucked a little, oh _god_. That was good, so good, he sank deeper into the kiss and gasped when Orochimaru shifted a little in his lap and ground down on the burgeoning hardness there; the background murmur of Shikara explaining what she knew cut off abruptly and Sakumo drew back reluctantly “Later, later beautiful.”

Inorue coughed uncomfortably, “So Danzo is the source?” Orochimaru sighed and Sakumo swept his hair back to let them look the others (Dai was beaming, it was unnerving) “I don’t know. Sensei is giving his sign off, it seemed odd to me that he would when kids got involved but when I went to ask he didn’t even hear me out, just said he had full faith in his ‘old friend’” Orochimaru’s voice was bitter and hurt “It was very clear that I was to be the scapegoat if the extent of it was uncovered. After all who would believe me over the honorable man Danzo? When Sensei didn’t trust me and Danzo was taught by the Nidaime?” Sakumo snorted “Tobirama-sama was always troubled by Danzo. He would be furious about a lot of thing in Konoha, and if I knew him at all- and I did- he would have very much liked you” Orochimaru stared at him “…. You think so?” Sakumo gave up and nuzzled at his mate’s cheek “I know so.”

“The worst thing is that you’re right, if it weren’t for Kakashi and Sakumo probably no one would have listened to you.” Said Dai in a very serious voice with an apologetic look, Orochimaru shrugged, completely unsurprised “That’s why I was trying to lead you into find it yourselves. And…. well. something needs to be done about Sensei and you were never never going to do that unless all the clan heads got involved.” Inorue sighed tiredly and nodded, “He’s not wrong, one of my clan members came to me with a very similar story. It backs up everything you said Orochimaru.” The snake Saninn started surprised “He talked to you? I don’t think he would do that. I was just trying to get him involved in Tenzo’s development.” Inorue nodded “He cam to speak with me this morning, he told me many of the same things you mentioned here. We need a little time to get all the clan heads together and discuss this-“ Sakumo snarled “If you don’t do something about the Hokage, I will. And it will be _bloody_ ” “-but I don’t think there is any way we can leave Hiruzen as Hokage, if he was aware than he is guilty and if all he did was blind himself to his friend’s deeds, well, we can’t have a Hokage like that.” Shikara sighed and rubbed at her face. “I will send someone for the clan heads, Sakumo stay here, its safer. Danzo will have realized that his plans went wrong when Orochimaru’s house caught on fire, but he doesn’t know where either of you are right now.” Sakumo grumbled his agreement and carefully picked up his mate and cub carrying them out of the room without checking with the others.

Hana was waiting in the hall, the Jounin from the forest next to her; Sakumo blinked to him and waved him into the office behind him “Give it to them.” He said gruffly and turned to Hana, “Take Kakashi?” she nodded shifting the clothes in her arms to the other arm and carefully tugging the boy out of Orochimaru’s lap. “I ran into Tashiro and figured he should come here not the tower” she told him anxiously. Sakumo nodded, “You did good. Stay here for the night.” She agreed quietly and followed him into the room at the far end that Sakumo sometimes used if he came back from a mission to late to want to go all the way home after coming for Kakashi. Orochimaru stirred just as they reached the room “Hana” the girl started, she probably hadn’t known he knew her name, “Take Kakashi on a walk first. Please.” Sakumo frowned about to disagree before Orochimaru added on “I am in want of some time with my… Mate.” Sakumo swallowed hard- _guh_. Hana went pink and nodded hard before disappearing down the hall.

“Orochimaru…” Sakumo rasped, setting his mate on his own feet just inside the door. “ _No_ , Sakumo, I _want_ you. Now. That Amatchi would have gotten what he wanted,” a hitch in his breath “I can still feel his _hands_. The only ones I have ever wanted were yours.” Sakumo snarled at the thought of another man’s hand on his mate- he remembered the way Orochimaru’s eyes had looked when he found him, remembered that the man had had his pants down already- and wound a hand in that slippery silk hair and nudged Orochimaru into a kiss he easily fell into.

It was every bit as amazing as he had ever thought it might, Orochimaru was still a little loose limbed from the drugs and responded with easy sighs and a deep moan to kisses pressed down his neck; when Sakumo set his teeth into the mark he had made when he first bit him Orochimaru let out a high-pitched whine and his knees went out, it was only Sakumo’s arm around his waist that held him up as he worried the skin between his teeth and he clawed desperately at Sakumo’s clothing. “ _Off- you- need this- ah!- off- wolf!_ ” Sakumo lowered his mate to the bed and disrobed as quickly as he could, staggering a little as Orochimaru’s hand showing up to help with his pants; well, ‘help’ feeling those long fingers trace the outline of his length and shove the cloth away to curl around him ripped a deep noise from his chest. He pounced, hungry beyond words. A rush of pale skin and tangling hair and desperate breathy moaning from Orochimaru, but he was careful; Orochimaru winced when weight was put on his side, so he kept himself lifted above his lover. And it was with Orochimaru’s hissed words in his ears (“want you- inside- _ohhhh_ \- of me. Want-ed you in me- aha- for two years”) that Sakumo pressed fingers gently against his mate, he reeled back at the sudden scent of blood “ _Don’t you dare stop.”_ Orochimaru clutched at him with fingers harsh enough to draw blood. Sakumo whined in distress “It was fingers, two with nothing to ease the way, I _want you and I will have you,_ a little blood is nothing.” (Sakumo couldn’t think past the idea that the scum from the forest had gotten his fingers in _his_ mate-)

Still he was careful and slow as he scrabbled for one of the bottles of oil Shikara kept scattered around to work into sore muscles, it would ease the way. Sliding one slow finger into the clutching heat was better than anything and he dropped his head with a sharp pant as Orochimaru arched and groaned deeply. _God_. It was hard to work his way up (two fingers, three, four just to be sure, after what he had heard he wasn’t going to do this without Orochimaru being more than ready, not this time) with Orochimaru clawing at his shoulders and twisting on his fingers. When he ( _finally_ ) deemed his mate ready and pushed in slowly it was like a seeing the Pure Lands and Orochimaru’s mouth fell open in soundless pleasure; Sakumo moved slowly, tonight was not for anything fast or hard, it was for deep and claiming- to reach all the way down until Orochimaru couldn’t feel anything other than him. It was as he sank his teeth into Orochimaru’s neck again (properly this time, threading chakra into the bite until it sunk in deep; not the superficial thing it had been before. He would claim his mate right this time, letting the white chakra bleed into Orochimaru’s skin) that the dark-haired man came with a choked scream. Sakumo moved with him through it, pulling his mouth away only when the chakra bite was set to look at his satiated lover; Orochimaru brushed his fingers over the mark with a satisfied expression “Yours” he rasped and Sakumo fell over the edge into ecstasy at those words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unrealistic reaction and solution to trauma, please, there is no magic cock in real life. Don't think this is a good idea or half the solution it is portrayed as here. This is fiction, trauma is much more complicated than this.


	9. Lilly of the Valley

Orochimaru woke next morning to a heavy weight over his hips and white hair spread over his chest; an ache in his throat underneath his jaw and a pleasant soreness at his tailbone. It was the best way to wake up and he lazed in it for several long moments until a memory shoved through him- he had felt this way before. He sat up too fast and his head swam but he looked around desperately, he was in the Hatake house but, but _what if-_ “Orochimaru? Mate, what is the matter?” Orochimaru jumped at Sakumo’s sleep rasping voice and stared at him. “You. You expected me here?” he asked carefully; Sakumo frowned shoving unruly hair over his shoulder and pushing up on his elbows to look at Orochimaru, “Of course I expected you to be here, you’re my mate, what in the world….” His voice trailed off as he took in the naked relief on Orochimaru’s face. Orochimaru hesitated, “I thought you expected me last time. And I woke to Danzo knocking on the door to tell me he had drugged you.” His lips pulled back in a sharp hiss “He showed me the vials, told me to taste your blood if I didn’t believe him. He was _right_ of course; you never would have touched a _freak_ without-“ Sakumo snarled and lunged up; catching Orochimaru around the waist and dragging him underneath him. “I have wanted you for a very long time. Since far beyond when Danzo had me drugged, I would never have marked you otherwise, and it was easy to convince me to take you to bed I’m sure because I had always wanted too.” He said fiercely into shocked gold eyes “I will not have you speak so of yourself.” Orochimaru’s face softened and he smiled a little, pressing up to push a kiss to Sakumo’s lips. “As you wish, my own.”

It was quite some time before they left the room (there a special heat to pressing into his lover and knowing he was loosened by _Sakumo_ that the slickness was his spend mixing with the oil he used to make sure it was easy; Orochimaru _loved_ it even more than Sakumo - it was amazing to feel so claimed, so _wanted)_ and slipped into the washroom to clean and dress in clean clothes (it made Sakumo feel deeply satisfied to see Orochimaru in his colors and clothing even if it was very unlikely anyone would recognise it), Hana had even found a robe in a somewhat similar style to what he usually wore for Orochimaru. They were a little surprised to find a Nara waiting for them when they left the baths to beckon them down to the formal dining room in the center of the house; the sight of all the clan heads sitting around the table with exhausted looks on their faces and several shinobi that Orochimaru recognized from either Root or the labs was a little off putting. He forced himself not to straighten his borrowed clothes and tipped his head until his hair slid away baring the bite for everyone to see (the Inuzuka shifted uncomfortably at the sight of it) and Sakumo pressed close to his back and wrapped an arm around his hips. “Orochimaru, Sakumo, come sit. Yotiy was about to go get food. Hana has Kakashi, he’s been asleep.” Both parents nodded, they might not be natural sensors, but they had still checked on their cub’s chakra and found him with the former Hyuuga. “We know.” Said Sakumo “Some food would be much appreciated.” Shikara nodded to a young man at the door and he slipped out.

They settled themselves at the traditional low table under the curious glances (they got even more curious when Sakumo pulled Orochimaru into his lap), they had all been told the story, but it was one thing to hear it and another to see Orochimaru so…. _human_. And Sakumo looking so deeply besotted with him. Sakumo turned to Shikara “Is there one of yours that’s a healer?” Orochimaru made an annoyed noise “No,” said Sakumo, “I saw you flinch when I touched your side, and the bruising there and on your neck should be looked too.” Orochimaru grimaced but subsided (the others stared, they had expected a much bigger fight from the proud Saninn) and sat quiescent as he watched the clan heads talk softly as they waited for food and the healer. When the healer arrived she was a stern looking Nara with unusual blond hair and dark Nara eyes, she frowned around at the audience but went to Orochimaru without and complaints dropped to her knees to run a slow chakra scan that made her lips purse in dissatisfaction “I’m going to assume you know about the bite and the associated things?” a distinctly smug smile curled Orochimaru’s lips as he nodded “Very well, other than that the bruising on your throat is probably quite painful but not concerning. Your side though… you have three cracked ribs and you should have come in for that stab wound when you first got it, not tried to heal it yourself.” Her voice was sharp and annoyed and Orochimaru tensed “Yes, I’m sure my reception at the hospital would have been _so_ welcoming.” He said in a sibilant hiss.

The tenseness in the room retched up suddenly at the tightly contained viciousness in his voice but Sakumo turned his head and murmured in his mate’s ear and Orochimaru relaxed a little with a brush of fingers over the Hatake’s arm. The healer sighed quietly and set about healing him without farther comment and the conversation slowly picked up again, gaining in volume as food was brought in. Most stopped paying attention to the two at the end of the table and didn’t notice when the healer left with a few quiet words. They were only startled back into awareness of them when Orochimaru laughed- _laughed._ The Saninn was laughing at the sight of Sakumo trying to tame his wild hair into its normal low tail and batted his hands away drawing the white locks forward and meticulously plaiting it into a many stranded braid over one shoulder “There, that should be easier my own.” Sakumo smiled up at him and leaned up for a quick kiss “Thank you beautiful.” He murmured against Orochimaru’s lips and got a small pleased hum in response.

The rest of the meal progressed largely as it had begun; but now that they had seen Orochimaru laugh as he played with Sakumo’s hair it was hard to think of him as cold and empty, so the clan heads sent him speculative glances out of the corners of their eyes looking for that spark of warmth. They were given their answer just after the food was cleared away; Sakumo stiffened and a moment later a tiny boy shot into the entrance or the room, his eyes wild. Orochimaru leapt up from his seat on Sakumo’s lap immediately and darted to Kakashi, a few of the other shinobi in the room stiffened and Hatorie Hyuuga made to stand from her seat only to sink back down as Orochimaru swept Kakashi up in his arms with a soft croon. Kakashi tucked his head under Orochimaru’s chin with a quiet whine trying to wiggle closer, “Easy little one, easy, I’m here. So’s your father.” Kakashi fisted his little hands in Orochimaru’s robe “ _mama_ ” he whimpered, and a tight silence fell in the room before filling with murmuring (Hatorie turned to Inorue with a hard look on her face, “You were serious?” she snapped, Shikara raised an unimpressed eyebrow and Inorue nodded looking tired “It’s….. bad.” “No shit” Shikara muttered). Orochimaru ignored the fuss with impressive dignity and returned to sit next to Sakumo, in a room full of shinobi it was hard not to notice the way he slanted careful looks at them through his hair, clearly waiting for someone to protest him being close to Kakashi. It hurt a little to see the small family watching everyone with varying amounts of wariness- though Sakumo looked more like he was considering how to rip their throats out if they said anything about Orochimaru- and realize how much distrust had grown in the village.

After that, well, things sped up. How could they not when it was very clear that misinformation had been running so rampant in Konoha; clearly Orochimaru wasn’t half the monster they were supposed to think he was, not with the way he was absentmindedly toying with the end of Sakumo’s braid and listening to his small son babble to him with every indication of complete seriousness. It was inarguable that he had been set up as a scapegoat and seeing such clear proof of everything they’ve been told…. well. None of them were idiots and even if they didn’t believe it, they know better then to argue with what was unquestionably the strongest two shinobi in the village; especially with the way Sakumo was glaring. So it isn’t long before a plan was hammered out and all that was left was to implement it.

As they dispersed to their various tasks and Hana was entrusted with a reluctant but quiet Kakashi (Hana had flat out refused to talk to her clan head ((her stepmother really)) and ignored any attempts by Hatorie to do so) Orochimaru tugged Sakumo away and into a washroom off the main hall way, throwing the lock behind them. Sakumo sent his mate a confused look when Orochimaru spun to face him, something fierce and sharp in his face, and pulled the Hatake into a searing kiss. Sakumo moaned into his mouth and dragged himself away “Beautiful one” (he loved the shiver that always got) “This isn’t really the time.” He murmured reluctantly. Orochimaru pulled back and searched his face for something, Sakumo didn’t know if he found it but he said in a strong voice “If I have to confront Danzo I am going to do it with your seed dripping down my thighs.” _guh---------------------------_

Sakumo’s brain went completely off-line at that pronouncement and when he was able to tune back in over the hot static filling his brain Orochimaru was pinned between him and the door clawing at his hair as he bit harsh marks on that long elegant neck. “You can’t just _say_ things like that” he gasped, and Orochimaru dragged his head back by his hair “As far as I can tell its going to get me what I want, so seems effective to me.” He was far too coherent, Sakumo needed to change that. He shoved Orochimaru against the door harder reveling in the tight moan it got him and shoved at the robes until he could curl his hand around one pale thigh and drag it up to wrap around his waist. The Saninn took that and used the leverage to hitch the other up and around as well until his legs around Sakumo’s waist were all that supported him and he could grind sharply down on Sakumo’s cock. “ _Want you”_ he gasped and Sakumo cursed dropping his head against Orochimaru’s collarbone “Lube?” the other man rasped and Orochimaru swore “Don’t care” he tore at his mate's pants and Sakumo moaned at the shifting brush of his fingers “I- _ah-_ do. _Orochimaru_!” Orochimaru snarled in frustration and yanked his hands away- he had seen lotion around here _somewhere_ \- as Sakumo dragged his hand higher and pressed one finger in gently, his head thudding down again as he swore viciously. Orochimaru was still a little relaxed and loose from before; one finger slid in easily, followed with little trouble by two and there was Orochimaru’s hand with lotion an it and that made it even easier and Sakumo wanted to stay right here and watch his mate ride his fingers to completion. Orochimaru snarled “I said _come_ on my _thighs_ that doesn’t work if your not- _ah!_ \- where I wa-ah-nt- _do that again-_ you.”

Orochimaru did get what he wanted (of course he did, Sakumo had decided that giving Orochimaru what he wanted was his new life goal) and slipped into the lab Danzo preferred with a slightly disheveled robe, love bites up his neck, and slick warmth on his skin.

* * *

It was harder than normal to wipe his face of expression and he exaggerated the faint limp Sakumo had given him into something more appropriate if the night had gone the way Danzo had intended it too; trying his best to ignore the tangled knot of emotions twisting in his stomach. There was a small mockery of a basinet surrounded by medical paraphernalia against one wall and Orochimaru’s heart lurched; Danzo had decided he wanted to oversee Tenzo personally? That was….. _bad_. The baby was worryingly quiet and still; hooked into several machines, none of which would have been necessary if Danzo payed even a little attention to the boy. Orochimaru took a deep breath and gently began disconnecting the leads and monitors, carefully picking Tenzo up and tucking him close to his chest, humming softly as he did so. He forced himself not to stiffen when the door behind him opened and closed with a quiet click, and took a second to gather his masks up before turning; Danzo was standing next to a lab table between Orochimaru and the door- Orochimaru’s hands tightened a little around Tenzo and the baby shifted with a soft squeak- smirking at him with a deeply satisfied look in his eyes as he looked at the marks on the Saninn’s neck “I see you and Satori got along just fine.” The smugness in his voice made Orochimaru snarl, the sense memory of that man’s hands on him too vivid in the cold light of the lab. (He couldn’t summon up the memory of Sakumo’s hands, it was hard to feel them when all he could think of was the nagging question of whether he had taken advantage of the other man _again_ somehow. What did Mate mean?)

“I hope you didn’t want him back; it would be rather difficult to reassemble him at this point.” He sneered. Danzo laughed, “Oh I don’t care about that, just whether or not I got what I want” his eyes dropped to Orochimaru’s neck again “And it looks like I did.” He was so _fucking_ satisfied, Orochimaru wanted to rip his eyes out so he would stop looking at him like that- like he was some object Danzo owned- and fought down his temper “And if I tell you that he didn’t get the chance?” Danzo shook his head in false sorrow “Oh Orochimaru, I know he did. He planned well and we both know it was either then or later. You’re a smart man, you know better than to try and evade it. Your son is such a nice boy, and little Tenzo has so much promise….” Orochimaru hissed sharply and spun away. The movement brushed his robes against his thighs sticking slightly and the sensation steadied him a little; real or not (forced by some strange mating drive or not) he had had Sakumo, and even if that changed (once he figured out how to undo whatever it was that was forcing Sakumo to stick around) he was going to take what he could get (Orochimaru had never pretended to be a good person).


	10. Nightshade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not completely happy with this chapter, it fought me

Sakumo hated this. Waiting for Orochimaru like this, _knowing_ that his mate was talking to the man that had tried to have him raped and blackmailed him into vanishing from Sakumo’s life for over two years; it was Danzo that had led to him being so ostracized in the village that he got wounded and didn’t heal properly, Danzo that had caused him to become so convinced that he had somehow hurt Sakumo, Danzo that had led Orochimaru into stretching the bounds of his morality until they lost all shape. But there was, unfortunately, the Hokage’s involvement to take into consideration; if there wasn’t Sakumo would have just taken Danzo’s head off and been done with it, but given that it was unclear exactly how much Hiruzen was aware of it had to be done carefully. And this, with Orochimaru in charge of bringing Danzo to the tower so that the clans could see what Hiruzen said themselves, was the best idea they had for assessing his guilt. So, here Sakumo was, waiting tucked inside a conference room with his chakra damped down until if faded into the background with six other clan leaders waiting for Orochimaru’s whisper-soft footsteps.

“Sakumo” murmured the Inuzuka clan head “Orochimaru truly is your mate?” Sakumo snarled his frustration and whipped around to face the other man “ _Yes_. He is. And I am very happy with my choice damnit.” the Inuzuka held his hands up and backed up a few steps “I’m not trying to piss you off-“ “Questioning my choice of mate _pisses me off_ ” “-clearly. It just came out of nowhere Sakumo, excuse me if I’m a little confused.” Sakumo opened his mouth to snap back and paused as a distinctive scent hit his nose (the Inuzuka clan head backed away from the door immediately with a grimace Sakuma saw smugly); larkspur, foxglove, sweet poison and _sex_. Sakumo waited until Orochimaru swept past the door and then slipped through in his wake with the help of Nara shadows straight into the Hokage’s office.

Orochimaru had a tense, drawn look on his face and was paler than Sakumo liked but seemed otherwise untouched. He was also carrying a _baby_ , a very quiet baby, one lying so still and quiet that he was almost invisible against Orochimaru’s sweeping robes wrapped as he was in the long sleeves (clever, let Orochimaru walk through the village with a child that was clearly unwell, that wouldn’t help his reputation at all in this environment); it must be Tenzo and Orochimaru must be quite concerned to have brought the child to this meeting. As they all slipped into the office (it was a good thing it was big room) Shikara silently froze the ANBU watchers, she was the strongest Nara with the shadow bonds in recent memory; holding this many high level shinobi still for an extended period would be hard, but not impossible. The tower was being surrounded by loyal clan shinobi as they spoke in case things got messy, they knew to little about the Root forces or what the ANBU (whoever then next Hokage was they needed to significantly reduce the amount of ANBU, they only really needed a dozen to be functional) would do if faced with choosing between the united clans and the Hokage.

Orochimaru gave no sign that he knew they were there as he swept to a stop in front of Hiruzen’s desk and opened his mouth only to be interrupted when the old man lurched to his feet with a sharp noise “ _Orochimaru_ , what have you done?!” Orochimaru paused clearly thrown “…. Sensei?” “That’s a baby Orochimaru! What have you done to them? Have you truly fallen so far?!” Orochimaru's composure slipped. He actually stepped back once and tucked Tenzo closer to his chest; for one brief moment his confusion and heartache was far, far too clear on his face as he struggled to bring his masks back into place (so this was why Danzo had allowed Orochimaru to bring the baby). “I haven’t-“ Danzo interrupted smoothly “You are the person that composed the injection, Orochimaru” and that maybe would have incited a little doubt in the clan heads if the look Orochimaru sent him hadn’t been so clearly off balance. “At your direction” he said and Danzo shook his head sadly “Orochimaru, I never told you to hurt the boy.” “I _didn’t_ -“ “Do you deny that you are the one that created the formula?” “No, but-“ “And you are the one that administered it?” “Yes, but-“ “Then how is this about my actions? Hiruzen, old friend, I must admit that I had a part in this.” Hearing Danzo say that was no victory when Orochimaru’s face settled into lines of clear resignation and he tucked Tenzo even closer to his chest in an unconscious gesture.

“It is in part my fault; I have been working- as you know- on improving the village’s safety and finding a solution to the problem of dying out bloodline traits. Most particularly the Mokuton as I have spoken with you about” (never let Hiruzen forget his involvement, clever) “and in the prosses of that I spoke with Orochimaru about the possibility of it being used with children once it was safe, to give clans reason to adopt orphans. But the experiment on the baby was not what I intended I promise you.” And here it was, the first flat out lie. Up until the last sentence he had kept to spinning the truth and half lies, this apparently was where he was willing to just go for it. The unseen eyes flicked to Orochimaru, but the younger man wasn’t bothering to defend himself; he appeared to have just given up on trying at all and was focused on the baby instead of dealing with the slander against his character. It made Sakumo’s chest hurt to see his proud mate so withdrawn and empty of fight; Orochimaru should never look like that, like he was just giving up on a fight. He shifted, frustrated, he couldn’t stand here and listen to Danzo spin a web about how it was all Orochimaru’s fault; and Danzo would keep a closer eye on him in the future, and maybe he should be on hold for anything other than top priority missions, well, wouldn’t it be better is he went with teams a little less? After all, if he could be involved in this it was hard to say what he wouldn’t do. Sakumo wanted to tear his head off, and he wouldn’t mind having a go at Hiruzen as well; the Hokage hadn’t bothered to look at Orochimaru or he might have see how the other man had turned a little to the window and appeared to be doing his best to check the baby’s vitals discreetly.

Sakumo watched Orochimaru’s head dip farther down with every agreeing sound his teacher made and block out the rest of the world more and more and- _no. No._ Sakumo wasn’t doing this, this wasn’t worth Orochimaru’s heart. He flared his chakra free of Shikara’s shadows (white chakra was uniquely suited to fight Nara; it was inherently bright) and stepped forward right behind Orochimaru and wrapped an arm around his mate. Orochimaru shot him a shocked glance shifting immediately into Sakumo’s warmth before he stiffened and made to pull away; Sakumo tightened his arm and looked at Hiruzen and Denzo both of whom were staring at them. There was a tight pinch on Danzo’s face, and he immediately went on the offensive “ _Orochimaru_ , you can’t manipulate the Hatake clan head like this! You have to release him!” and at that Orochimaru really did pull away from Sakumo shrinking back towards the wall with Tenzo clutched to his chest. Sakumo went cold and he spun on Danzo with a terrible snarl (Danzo flinched, no one saw that look on the White Fang’s face and remained unafraid) “You _scum_ , how dare _you_ insult _my_ mate in front of me?!-“ his fury was interrupted my Hiruzen’s sharp inhale “Orochimaru! You convinced him to mate with you?” and Sakumo- Sakumo- Sakumo lunged over the desk for the Hokage before he had a chance to think; it was only Orochimaru’s sudden hand on his chest that stopped him.

“Sakumo, Sakumo stop, you can’t attack Sensei.” Orochimaru murmured unsteadily. Sakumo snarled “ ** _He dares to blame you?! To accuse you of something so horrible?! When you have done nothing wrong?!_** ” wrath pouring off of him; Orochimaru’s quiet voice broke through the fog in his brain like a cold blade “Is he wrong?” Sakumo drew back “What?” utterly confused. Orochimaru took a breath and pulled him away from the desk a little, “It doesn’t matter.” “Yes, it _does_. What do you mean?” “Sakumo…” Orochimaru shook his head and Sakumo tugged his mate into a corner glancing over his shoulder and where a livid Shikara was laying into the Hokage as the other clan heads looked on with tense expressions; apparently they had it in hand, this was more important. “Orochimaru, what do you mean?” Orochimaru shifted and let his hair slide forward to hide behind “Only what he said. Sakumo, you never told me what ‘mate’ means; but can you honestly tell me that you would have chosen to do it with me if you had been aware? That you would have chosen me that night? That you would have approached me at all?”

The bottom dropped out of his stomach “Orochimaru….” the slim man looked away “Don’t lie to me Sakumo.” The White Fang reached out carefully and brushed heavy silken hair back, pleased when Orochimaru leaned into the touch a little as he did so. “Orochimaru, I don’t know how to convince you. I probably wouldn’t have approached you no, but- _Orochimaru_ \- I would have wanted too. Just ask Dai, I’ve been driving him nuts with talking about you for years, ever since I first saw you fighting with your team; you are beautiful now and you were beautiful then. You have always entranced me, maybe I wouldn’t have done anything, but it wouldn’t have been from lack of wanting too. If I had my pick of lovers three years ago, I would have chosen you if I thought I could. As for mates; Oro, it doesn’t work like that. I know what some of the stories say, but it’s not about some wolf instinct- or rather it’s not just about that. It comes from the white chakra, if I weren’t reaching out- and you weren’t reaching back- I never would have put a mark on you, incomplete or not. It’s about our chakra, beautiful one.” He took in Orochimaru’s doubtful expression “You don’t believe me, do you? No, it’s alright, I know why you might not. I know it will take time. Just. Give me a chance to prove it too you? Please?”

Orochimaru searched his face for a long moment, ignoring the shouting from the center of the room, and nodded slowly “I…. Alright. But. Promise me Sakumo, promise me that if that’s not true you will _tell_ me and not pretend to spare my feelings.” Sakumo sighed a little and gently pulled Orochimaru and Tenzo into his arms. “I promise you beautiful one. And I’ll figure out how to get you proof you can trust.” Orochimaru relaxed slowly against him, the child between them squirming happily; he tucked his face into Sakumo’s jaw and ignored the ruckus. Danzo and ….Hiruzen (not Sensei now, not for a long time maybe) were the two people that had hurt him the most, and knowing they were in the same room should have left him wire-taught with tension; but with Sakumo here it just…. Didn’t matter very much. If there was one person that could (and, he thought, would- and wasn’t that revolutionary) protect him from just about everything it was Konoha’s White Fang.

* * *

Sakumo would have enjoyed watching Shikara tear into Hiruzen and shred every excuse he produced (and there were several, most of which came down to insisting that Denzo would never do things like this) with increasing viciousness; she was madder than he had _ever_ seen in a normally calm Nara. And he would have enjoyed it if Orochimaru hadn’t been tucked against him with tiny tremors running through his frame; somehow in the few hours he had been away from Sakumo all the confidence had drained out of him and Sakumo _hated_ to see him so shredded, it wasn’t right in such a strong person. It was with absolutely no surprise that the Hatake watched Denzo make a break for the window when it was clear that no one was going to listen to him and Hiruzen wasn’t long for power; he didn’t make it far, he didn’t even make it to the windowsill before a snarling Inuzuka (apparently what they had heard had been enough to convince him of Orochimaru’s good character) pounced on him and the ANBU blocked it. So, they had decided to not help the Hokage at least, even if they didn’t seem willing to get involved directly; that was good.

Sakumo’s attention was dragged back to Shikara and the Hokage just in time to see her tear the hat off his head “NO. This is _done_ , Sarutobi. Your tenure as Hokage is over, if you can’t bring yourself to see what's happening in this village then we don’t trust you to lead it.” “You can’t do that, a Hokage has never been deposed!” Hiruzen gasped. Shikara bared her teeth “There has never been a Hokage that we felt the need to depose before. This is not a _request_.” “Tobirama-sensei was the one that appointed me” he whispered and Sakumo cleared his throat. “I knew my uncle Sarutobi, and you are not who he thought he was leaving the village too. I spent a fair amount of time with him, he treasured what family he had left, and he would be heartbroken to see what Konoha has become under you. The next Hokage will have a great deal of work to do to fix what is broken in the village, and that is due in large part to your inaction.” Hiruzen stared at him for a long moment (he could see Tobirama-sama in the Hatake now; in the tip of the chin, the level gaze, the way he had Orochimaru tucked against him) and then slowly took off the hat.

(It wasn’t Sakumo in the end that decided him to give it over without a fight; it was seeing Orochimaru like that, all but hiding in the Hatake’s shoulder, his breath a little to sharp to the Sarutobi’s keen ears. It was painful to see the boy that had always frightened him as much as he loved him ((too much like Tobirama-sama and too little at the same time. He had been so sure he would fail Orochimaru like he had failed Tobirama-sama; had been sure he wasn’t smart enough to make Orochimaru grow into someone as principled as he was strong; had been positive he couldn’t help him and afraid to let anyone else try)) reduced to this….. was... just, when had this _happened_? As he handed the hat to the Nara matriarch, he watched Sakumo turn back to his mate- and looking at them together it was clear they _were_ mates, no matter how it had happened- and brushed the long dark hair back to tip Orochimaru’s chin up. ((When had Orochimaru gone back to hiding in his hair rather than wearing it pulled back? Why hadn't he noticed?)) He couldn’t hear what they were saying but the adoration on Sakumo’s face was clear, and as he pulled back a bit farther and looked down at the baby Orochimaru had been carrying the image of them as a family was obvious. Hiruzen…. Regretted.)

“Well, fuck.” Said Cat of the ANBU when Hiruzen had been escorted out by Dai, “Now what?” Shikara pursed her lips, unhappy “We need a new Hokage, now, it can’t wait.” “And how do we choose that?” asked Inorue tiredly. “It’s not like it’s easy, we could set up some kind of vote of clan heads for the next hokage, but we need one _now_ to deal with this mess.” Orochimaru took a deep breath and looked down at Tenzo. Once upon a time that had been his dream, now…. Now he didn’t know what his dream was. Now it felt some days like he didn’t know what way was up, but. but maybe… Orochimaru shook himself and handed Tenzo to a startled Inorue, plucking the hat from Shikara’s hands and unceremoniously dropping it on Sakumo’s head. “There. Hokage.” Silence hit the room hard, the clan heads glanced at each other, but, well, no one could really argue with it. It wasn’t like the White Fang wasn’t strong enough and he was known to be fair and kind (as long as his pack wasn’t threatened); he was largely unaffiliated from clans and could be much more impartial than anyone else they could think of. There really wasn’t any reason _not_ to have him as Hokage, he would definitely work to clear clean up Danzo’s mess and Orochimaru’s name. Shikara shook her head “Hail the Hokage” she said somewhat wryly “And good luck Sakumo.”

* * *

Orochimaru was looking down at Tenzo in a small basinet next to Kakashi’s bed (Kakashi had insisted) watching him snuffle quietly in his sleep when a gray-haired tumble thumped into his hip. Orochimaru ran his fingers through Kakashi’s hair and knelt down to look his son in his gray-gold eyes, “What is it little one?” Kakashi looked down at his wiggling bare toes and peered up at his parent though his eyelashes “You…. You know you’re the best mom, ever right?” Orochimaru gaped at him, shocked “I’m…. not technically your mother?” He said faintly. Kakashi pouted “Yes you are, and you’re the best.” The Saninn licked his lips “I wasn’t hardly around for most of it.” “Daddy told me a little about why, and if someone was forcing you not to see me at all and you still found a way to see me and teach me the things. So, you’re the best.” Orochimaru sucked in a deep breath and wrapped his arms around Kakashi, unsurprised when the cub tucked his head in close to Orochimaru's neck near the chakra bite.

It was odd, not long ago he had been walking away from his son in the Nara compound with the same pressure behind his eyes; now, now he was living in the small Hatake compound (had been for almost a week) with his son and Tezno- who had been left in his care by _unanimous_ agreement- and the knowledge that Danzo was dying tomorrow. (It turned out Root went even deeper than they thought, and it just got more poisonous as it went.) Orochimaru was free to be seen with Kakashi and had been assured that the truth was going to be disseminated soon so that his reputation could recover (Sakumo had no intention of allowing this insanity to go on, and if Jiraiya didn’t show up soon he would be declared missing-nin; Tsunade he felt a little more sympathetic to- a little) and Hana had been in and out of the house the whole week bringing him news (he basically refused to leave, he wanted to feel safe for a while) dragging a little huge eyed purple-haired girl with her (Orochimaru remembered her; he had let her pet one of his smaller summons once, before everything had gone to hell) so he hadn’t been alone often. Sakumo had sent Dai to tell him stories about Sakumo’s longstanding infatuation with him, and anyone else he cold think of that would help convince him of Sakumo’s consent and happiness.

But it was hard to adjust to not spending all of his time alone and worn to the bone, he was so used to being alone and untouched that every time anyone tried to talk to him about anything not work related or touch him it was hard not to jump for a weapon. It was… _infuriating._ Orochimaru knew that Sakumo had talked to Shikara at least about it, not in depth but a little; Sakumo had never tried to keep it from him and he had heard it when Sakumo told Shikara about it. (“-we can’t do that Shikara, two children will be hard enough with me as Hokage and Oro will want to go back active before long. Besides, we need time. Shikara, Oro spent two years essentially isolated with Danzo, Danzo was the _only_ person that talked to him for any length of time, and Danzo has a gift for getting into people’s heads. He’s painfully touch starved and I’m not- Shikara I’m in charge of the place that nearly broke my mate and all I want to do it curl up with him; so when I say no and tell you the clan heads are going to form a council and take over more things I am _not_ going to be argued with.” When after Shikara left Orochimaru had slipped into the office Sakumo had greeted him with no surprise and open arms.)

Kakashi yipped a little and Orochimaru looked back at him and smiled faintly, “To bed with you little one, you can see your father tomorrow at breakfast.” Kakashi pouted but allowed himself to be ushered to bed; he was at the point where he was willing to do almost anything Orochimaru asked of him (Kakashi didn’t want to lose his Oro-kaa-sensei, not for anything). (Orochimaru was looking forward to a time when he could spend more than an hour curled up with his son before his…. trauma kicked in and told him he couldn’t be near Kakashi or he got overwhelmed by the touch. Luckily not a problem he had had with Sakumo yet, whether that was great sex or Hatake chakra or something else entirely Orochimaru was just very grateful.)

Arms slid around his waist and started Orochimaru out of his rumination and Sakumo pressed lips to his jaw, “What are you thinking about beautiful one?” Orochimaru hummed a little “You actually, my own.” Sakumo made a happy rumble that made his bones vibrate pleasantly and Orochimaru turned in his arms and slid his arms around the Hatake’s neck. “Mmm, and what have you been working on? Nothing too tiring, I hope? I had plans for you.” Sakumo swore “ _god_ , Oro, fuck, you can’t _say_ things like that.” Orochimaru could help but laugh and tug on that long white hair “You know you love it” he murmured against his lips. Sakumo groaned, long and deep, and swept Orochimaru up in his arms and bit down on the chakra infused mating mark, “Never letting you go.”

With the last of his brain not filled with Sakumo, Orochimaru glanced one last time at Kakashi- and Tenzo next to him- with all his favorite people around him and the scent of _larkspur-foxglove-pine_ in his nose he almost felt whole again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a few thoughts for connected oneshots (what the other Saninn think when they come back to Konoha for one) so I might do some of those. If you have any ideas you'd like to maybe see drop them below and I'll give them a poke.


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